Star Fox: The Rise of Star Wolf
by Victor Turdleman
Summary: Wolf O'Donnell, Lylat System's Most Wanted. But is he really just a castaway of fate, struggling against the scandals against his name, and trying to achieve self-justice? Find out the untold story of Star Fox's shadiest pilot. Pairing: WolfXKrystal:
1. Chapter 1

S'up it's David and I really liked Crazyfoxie's KrystalXWolf pairing idea, so it inspired me to make a Star Wolf origins story, using that pairing. I really want to stick to the facts though, because most Star Wolf fanfics go way outta control. So the story takes place sometime before the first game, _Star Fox_, (because that's the only game that Wolf isn't in). Please rate and comment afterwards. Enjoy.

**Star Wolf (working title.)**

_Chapter 1: Nerves of Steel, Wits of Venom_

Unnamed Planet, 6 BLW

He scavenged through the cave, eyes scanning each pile of rocks he went into. But every pile spelt failure. Cursing under his breath, he moved over to a different pile, sweat added to to it from his brow. It was extremely hot in these caves, because unnaturally green lava rivers flowed nearby. But surprisingly cold outside, on the planet's surface.

_This is a helluva strange place_, he thought. _Of all the places, why the hell did they leave me here?_

Of course it was still a question who "them" was. He scanned the rest of the cave._ Hmmm...Nothing here. Dammit._ He picked up the spiky stalactite he used as a weapon. It had a broken piece of glass wedged into the top, and on it's base were numbering marks which he used to keep count of all the creatures he had killed in self-defense. It was his weapon, his only prize. He stepped outside, his fur shivering under the icy air.

He paced the dry ground, thinking about other possible places he could find food.

Suddenly he heard loud blasting noise. He spun around, club raised. His eyes shown in amazement.

It was a ship. A white, sleek ship with blue booster compartments and concealed gliders. On the hull underneath the dark green glass window hood, the ship's seal, a red fox with a pair of wings, shone brightly against the white.

_A flying fox? That's a crappy symbol for a ship like that, _was the first thought that came to his mind.

Then the hood shot up and a figure stepped out of it. _What the-?_ It was a fox, tall, well-built, bright fur, and good features. Almost _too_ good. He wore a green G-suit with a grey flight jacket, along with metallic flight boots. He had a small beard hinting that he was in his late 20's, and also wore a pair of sunglasses.

He looked and gave a warm smile. "Well, what do we have here?"he asked. He looked up and down. "You look like a Cornerian. Are you lost?"

_What's that supposed to mean? _he thought, club still raised. Then he spoke.

"What's it to you, flyboy? You don't look like you came here on purpose either."

The fox laughed. "You sure got spunk for a castaway in rags."

_Rags. Huh. _He glared at him.

"Hey, joking. I'm just saying people your age don't turn up just like that. How old are you anyway?"

Club still raised, he took a step back. "Thirteen, I think."

"What happened? Where are your parents?"

_You tell me._

The fox took a look around the desolate planet. "How long have you lived here?"

"My whole life."

"_What?_ But this place is a death zone! Any living creatures here have died within less than a month according to our data."

_Data?_ He stared at the fox blankly.

He took another look. "Amazing. You survived here thirteen years, but you don't look like you were born here."

Then, a few feet away, two more figures approached. One was a gray hare and one was a short and stout pig.

"James, what the hell!" exclaimed the hare. "Don't just fly off like that, we got worried."

"Yeah!" grunted the pig, his tiny eyes wide. "This planet gives me the heebie-jeebies! Let's just-"

He froze. "What's that? An inhabitant?"

James smiled. "He's cool guys, he's with me. I detected his life-form on my ship's radar, so I came and found him."

"But he doesn't look Vemomian at all. He's not a species I've seen before."

_Species? These weirdos keep talking more bizarre things every minute._

"Listen, James, or whatever your mother named you. You can just take your friends and go home."

James and the rest looked stunned. "Look we're just trying to help you."

"Yeah, right. That's what he said too. But he was a damn liar! He said 'eveything is arranged' or 'we're here to help' or some other bullcrap. But he was just some twisted psyco-path with a bunch of weird tools and-"

"Wait, tools? How do you know all this stuff if you've been on this planet? There's barely any life here, let alone any technology or society"

He folded his arms. "Oh really? Then that giant base in the middle of the planet's core is nothing, huh?"

James looked up sharply. "What base?"

"The one crawling with primate soldiers and that lunatic who experiments on people. He almost captured me too. But I'm too smart for him."

James exchanged looks with the hare. Then he turned to the pig. "Alert Pepper and the rest of the Cornerian Squadron. Looks like this is out of our league of combat."

The pig squealed, "Ooooh, snort, imagine what kind of reward they'll give us when they see what we've dug up."

James turned. "I think that credit goes to our friend here."

"Well, thanks for finally giving me some credit. But I don't need your gratitude."

James laughed. "You really are something, kid." He glanced back at the pig. "Pigma, hurry!"

"Wha–? Oh right!" He scrambled away, tripping clumsily as he did so.

James made his way back to his ship dusting his boots from the planet's murky dirt.

"Hey! Where are you going?"

"Back to my place, kid. I gotta get going."

He kept going, then stopped, as if an idea suddenly came to him. "Why don't you come with me?"

The stalactite club automatically shot up.

James chuckled. "Don't worry, it's not a dangerous place."

"That's what he said before he-"

"He was doing illegal things, doing tests like that. But I can take you better place."

"Yeah, and maybe you can also hand me a thousand bucks and the choice of a hundred ponies. Tell it to a three-year-old."

"No, serious. It's the Cornerian Flight Academy on the other side of the Lylat System. It's got dorms, food, other boys to get along with, everything. You'll learn ho w to fly a decent ship, how to survive, how to think, how to fight, how to protect others. After you graduate you can go enlist to the Cornerian Army, or leave and start your own life. The choice is yours."

"How do I know that you're not lying? That this Cornerian Flight whatever is just-"

"My son goes there. That should be enough proof. Anyway I can't just leave you here."

Club still raised, he looked around. This was the planet he raised himself on. The place he had called home. He turned to James.

_Thud!_ The sound of the club landing near his feet echoed across the distant wastes.

"All right. I'll go with you to this place. But if it's not as nice as you make it sound," he grinned. "Then you're gonna need more than those glasses to protect your face."

James laughed. "Whatever you say, kid."

"It's not 'kid'."

James turned around to face him. "Oh? What is it, then?"

He took another good look at the 'kid' he had been addressing. He was tall for his age, broad-built, with large biceps and washboard abs. He was wearing the ragged remains of a stolen freighter uniform. He had a gray fur, a long snout, and a jagged line of top-fur scaling the back and front of the top of his head. His eyes shone a fearless streak of purple.

"Wolf, flyboy. Wolf O'Donnell."

_End of Chapter 1_

Well, I hope you guys enjoyed that. The reason I gave vague input on Wolf was because I was saving his identity for the end of the chapter (though some of you probably already guessed it).

I'll be back with more of Star Wolf's origin.


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2: School Fox 64_

Cornerian Flight Academy, 3 BLW (3 years later)

_C'mon...C'mon..._

A blast signal flashed on the corner. Wolf's eyes darted to the blast's momentary spot be fore continuing.

An enemy fighter zoomed out of the far left corner. It fired, two beams searing the air.

Wolf grabbed hold of the steering control and spun the gray joy-stick.

His ship swung leftward, and he fired multiple beams of green...once...twice...BOOM!

Three more came, two firing basic shots, the third firing a missile.

Wolf tweaked on the B-button, allowing him to do a barrel-roll, while delivering more shots.

One explosion caused the rest to explode.

"Whoo! The bigger they come, the harder they fall!"

"Don't get too cocky," said a voice on the transmission dock. "There's still plenty of ships to take out."

"Bring'em on, I can take'em!"

Five ships came up, firing multiple shots as they zoomed by.

Wolf dodged them expertly, his finger doddling on the joy-stick, testing how far he could move in.

As enemy ships swung around in his direction, he pulled on the brakes to get them in range.

But one in the back had been waiting for him— he had gotten too close.

It fired at the left of Wolf's view. A flash erupted followed by a loud booming noise. Several electric shocks shot up the controls, searing Wolf's bones.

"Argh!" he yelled in agony.

R.O.B. 64's voice appeared on the transmissions. "Simulation failed. Mission unsuccessful. Ships

down: 26. Passing Grade: 67%."

Wolf muttered "Damn!", and climbed out of the simulator cockpit.

He stood in the Testing Area of the academy. He turned to James, who had been giving advice through the transmissions. "Let me have another go. I wasn't giving my all in there."

James shook his head. "You need to get back to your dorm, and get back to E.M.F.. tests, cadet. Going in the simulator requires preparation which you lack. Besides, this is your third try. Three tries is enough."

"But I _am_ ready! I don't need to go back to conducting flight missions on a plastic little Gameboy anymore!"

"Apparently you do, considering you failed to pass the test."

"But it was 67%! 3 more points and I can move on to level 4! All the rest of the cadets are ahead! Give me a chance!"

"I said back to your dorm!" James barked. "You'll make it to level 4 when you're ready. I said now, cadet! That's an order!"

Wolf stood there, stuck in disbelief and anger, then stormed in the direction of the exit.

He had grown taller since Venom. His hair was cut in mohawk fashion, and his teeth had sprouted small, growing fangs. He wore his grey Academy uniform with a black flight jacket.

The sound of the opening of a hood of another simulator opened.

It was 15-year-old Fox McCloud, James's son. He looked like a miniature only without a small beard and with green eyes and a longer snout.

R.O.B. read his score aloud. "Congratulations-"(_He never says congratulations when I pass _Wolf thought) "Mission Successful. Ships down: 18. Passing Grade: 91%."

"Yes!" Fox cheered.

"Way to go, Fox!" chimed in his neighbor, Bill Grey.

James smiled. "That's my boy. Keep it up!"

_Stupid brat! He got even less ships than me and he passed! He's a year younger than me and he's a level 4! _Wolf thought scornfully.

"Count your stars you didn't get shocked like I did, Fox," growled Wolf through gritted teeth. "That would've been terrible, wouldn't it?"

Fists clenched, he marched out of the room.

_Stupid brat with his stupid dad. The way he favors him makes me wan to-_

"Wolf, wait!"

Wolf turned to see Fox running towards him.

"What do you want, to rub in your score some more?" asked Wolf.

"Wolf, look, I didn't mean to— I'm sorry I— just-"

"Spit it out, Fox if you wanna say something, say it quick!" barked Wolf impatiently.

Fox hesitated, then opened his mouth to talk, when a high-pitched yelp of agony echoed from down the hall.

Wolf sprinted down the hallway to investigate, Fox trotting behind.

They came up to the Central Locker Area, where two massive apes were standing, one holding small, timid, junior mechanic Slippy Toad by his feet, causing him to dangle. Behind the two apes, looking smug as ever, was cruel but not-so-intimidating Venomian transfer student, Andrew Oikanny. Confronting the two apes was the only pilot bold enough to stand up to Oikanny's thugs was level 6 ace wing Falco Lombardi (the sleeves of his uniform torn to expose his muscle-feathers).

"P-Put me down! I j-just said that I d-di-didn't think that you're really A-Andross's nephew, that's all!" croaked Slippy pitifully.

"Heh. Well maybe next time you'll think before crossing the likes of me." He snorted stupidly afterwards and tugged on the collar of his flight suit, as if he was too cool or something.

"Hey, Oikanny! If you're so tough then why don't you come outta there and fight like the snotty baboon you are," said Falco, balling his fists. "Er, um, or whatever you are."

"That goes for me, too, Oikanny!" bellowed Fox.

_Hmph. Typical Fox. Always playing the hero. What else is new?_

"Oh yeah? You two dipshits can't even hope to win a fight against me!"

"What makes you think I'm gonna let you waltz right outta here, termite-breath?" Wolf asked quietly.

"Ooh, three people coming to my rescue," said Slippy, still dangling from the massive monkey's fist. "I feel a lot safer now."

"Four," croaked a voice from the ceiling. They all looked up. The middle of the ceiling began to take shape, and then formed a figure that dropped down and stood up.

"Leon. Took you long enough," said Wolf with a toothy grin.

"Actually I was there the whole time. I hate being ignored. Makes me feel almost _invisible._" He laughed nastily, obviously emphasizing on the word invisible.

Andrew's tiny eyes grew bigger. "Enough! Get them!"

"Grab the tall one, Fox!"yelled Falco.

"I'm on it, Falco!"

"Do whatever, Andrew's mine!"growled Wolf.

"Don't take up all the action, Wolf!" said Leon.

Wolf growled, baring his small fangs and unveiled his claws.

_Look out Andrew! I'm gonna send ya running back to Uncle Andross with your head between your legs!_

_End of Chapter 2_

If some of you are wondering why this whole scene was necessary, well it wasn't, but I thought I 'd add that Leon went to the academy too. And the flight simulator in the beginning inspired me to think of a way for Star Fox characters to train. I bet some of you are waiting for some drama to kick in. Just wait for the next chapter!


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter 3: First and Last _

Cornerian Flight Academy, 1 hour later

"Did you see bruise I gave to the taller one?" asked Fox excitedly. "That was great. Other students are never gonna look at us differently."

"Yeah they will!" Slippy chimed in.

They were sitting in Fox's dorm, eating powdered doughnuts and listening to Slippy's jukebox.

"Hey Slippy, d'ya think we should invite Wolf to the dorm?"

Slippy almost gagged on his doughnut. "Invite him? _Him? _Wolf O'Donnell? The scourge of the academy? He'll shred you first!"

"I know, but I kinda feel bad for him, ya know?"

"C'mon Fox, you're just being nice. The guy hates you! He'll crush with youledge hammer the second he gets a chance! He's always trying to beat you at everything! And the way he has a go at your dad? Huh. You'd think---"

Fox got up and went to Wolf's dorm. He knocked on his door. "Wolf?" No answer.

The door swung open. Wolf stood there holding up his stun blaster. Fox's eyes grew wide.

"Oh, it's you. What do you want now?" He lowered his blaster,

"You know that the stun guns are permitted to students for defense only! If my dad catches you, he'll--"

"If you're gonna lecture my on your dad, Fox, then do it with my door closed." He said icily.

His hand drew to the door's switch.

"Hey, I just wanna invite you to my dorm."

Wolf sneered. "Yeah, like I wanna spend anymore time in your company." He closed the door.

"Wait!"

Wolf sighed._ "What?!"_

"Look, I feel really bad about beat–" he paused. "Well, getting a higher score at the simulation. I didn't deserve getting that percentage, not with all the ships _you_ got down. You really should've gotten it." He stared down sheepishly at his boots, scuffling them slightly

Wolf raised his eyebrows, obviously surprised. _Fox McCloud, Corneria's biggest suck-up, apologizing? Those apes must have hit his head hard!_

"So...um....you wanna come to our dorm? We're celebrating our victory against Oikanny!"

Wolf leaned against his dorm door. "You guys seriously have too much time if you celebrate all your successful battles."

Fox laughed. "C'mon, we got doughnuts." He turned and headed towards his dormitory.

Wolf walked behind him careful not to let Fox see the package he snuck with him.

"Hey Slippy!" Fox said. "You'll never guess who I got to come."

Wolf watched Slippy's and Bill Grey's smiles fade as Wolf entered the room.

"Gah! Wolf!" Slippy screamed. He thrusted his box of doughnuts toward him. " Here, take them! Just— Don't kill me!"

"Relax, moron. I'm not here to dirty my claws on your filthy skin."

"Oh, phew, I seriously thought you were gonna beat the—Hey, wait a sec!"

Bill glanced at Fox. "You sure about him?" His gaze returned nervously to Wolf.

"It's okay, he's cool," said Fox with a grin.

Wolf looked around. Their dorm was a crammed but somewhat snug room, the walls covered with pictures of Arwings and Cornerian sport cruisers. There were two bunks built into the wall, and next to one stood a small picture of James holding a baby fox on his shoulders. The floor was littered with wrappers, comic books, a Gameboy Advance, and a _PlayFrog_ magazine.

"So, where's bird-brain? Fixing his feathers still?"

Bill looked up from his NES. "You mean Falco? I just saw him in Katt's room."

The other two groaned.

Wolf looked confused. "Wait, Katt Monroe? That Persian in Dorm 7?"

Fox nodded. "That's the one. Total diva. You know how many times she's flattened Falco's beak for asking her out? You'd think he'd get the message!"

"Not this time. They were on the bed. _Making out_."

Slippy gagged on his soda. "_Seriously?_"

Wolf rolled his eyes. "Please. If she was really fallin' for him, shen she'd be doing more than just kissing." He grinned mischievously.

Fox cocked his head. "Since when did you become an expert at girls, Mr. I-Kill-Any-Living-Thing-That -Pisses-Me-Off?"

Wolf unwrapped his package. "You'd be surprised to see how many girls_ I've_ seen. Not all of'em wearing any--"

"Hey is that Moonrise?!" croaked Slippy in astonishment.

"So that's what was in that thing."

Wolf held up his purple bottle. "Yup, it's a frosty one."

Bill stared at it. "Dude, how the freaking hell did you sneak that in here?"

Wolf uncapped the bottle. "Leon. How else?"

Fox looked nervous. "Wolf, that's really hardcore. You could get---"

Suddenly, there was a shrieking sound. The alarm blazed.

Peppy's voice came up on the intercom. "All level 4 pilots report to Hangar 29. This is not a drill!" he added.

Wolf sneered. _Damn old fool. I just knew he was going say that!_

Fox jumped up excitedly. "Did you hear that? We've been summoned! We get to go into ships now! _Real _ships! See some action! Blow up bad guys!"

Slippy said "Oh yeah!"

"Finally!" exclaimed Wolf. "Now I can finally prove myself! Just wait till I tell Leon!"

Bill spoke up. "Um....Not to be Johnny Raincloud or anything but Peppy said Level 4 pilots. Aren't you a Level 3?"

Nobody spoke. Wolf looked around. "Oh come on. I'm the best fighter here. I, I need to fight! I just gotta!"

Fox's ears drooped. "Sorry Wolf, orders are orders. My father---"

"Your father, your father, well you know what? Damn your father! I'm going, and that's it!"

"But what about---"

"I don't give a _damn_!" And with that he slammed the door so hard, the ceiling shook.

_Stupid Fox for rubbing it in. Stupid Peppy for announcing it. And stupid James_

_for not letting me. Damn, damn, damn, DAMN!_

He kicked his foot against the wall. He felt the claw on his big toe crack and hot pain and blood piling his boot. He clutched his foot with agony and his eyes filled with tears of frustration.

_I have to fight...I HAVE to fight......._

He had waited for this his whole life...

Then it came to him. He almost cursed himself for not thinking of it before.

He pocketed his stun blaster, and a drawer in his dorm. Inside was a microchip with all the docking codes in the academy._ I owe you one, Leon..._

He slipped through the dorm hall, the rec room, and last to the port.

He punched in the code into the console, and opened the nearest garage.

And there it was....the _Arwing. _20 feet of steel conbustion, two camoflaged blast cannons and gliding thrusters of sheet steel carbon.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

Wolf spun around. Leon stood, smoking a cigarettes and leaning on a pile of cargo canisters.

"Leon---"

"Just go. Find what you want. But I gotta tell you, that you're wasting your time. You think this'll be the last dogfight you'll get to see? Nah. Take hold of this opportunity. There are whole planets out there."

Wolf's eyes shone. He hadn't even thought about that. Here was his chance to explore the Lylat System. New places, new people, new adventures......his fur shivered with excitement.

Leon looked around. "Shit. That R.O.B.'s coming. Just go."

He didn't need a second warning. He climbed into the cockpit and spun the ignition button. The Arwing liftedand left the hanger. It got higher ad out of Corneria's atmosphere.

_Whoa…_

There was a whole fleet of Venomian ships, small cruisers, and one giant one with a wicked-looking turbo lazer dish.

_This isn't a normal mission. This is a full-fledged battle! There's no way I'm gonna miss out on this!_

Just as he was going to take control of the close-range Arwing blaster cannons, a Venomian bomber appeared on the scope.

"Well, well," said an unfamiliar pilot. "Fresh meat!"

He fired a proton torpedo at the hull of Wolf's Arwing.

_Shit! Oh shit! No way….Jesus…. _

The controls were shutting down, and the Arwing swung into a forced barrel-roll, spinning out of control.

_No..no…._

This was it… he was done for…

The cockpit swing forward and he hit his forehead against the windshield.

A huge wave of pain occurred….he felt like someone had chained an asteroid to his head….

All went black……

_Oh crap….I didn't even die in combat…….._

Will Wolf live? Find out in the Next Chapter!


	4. Chapter 4

Hey all, it's Victor, and here is the next installment of my story. It's the bit you've all been waiting for.

_Chapter 4: Small Warmth in a Cold Galaxy_

Unknown planet, approximately nine hours later

_Uhh...wait...I'm hearing...myself...I'm...alive...?_

_But if I open my eyes..._

It took him a while, but Wolf gathered up his courage, and opened his eyes.

_I am alive!_

His nose automatically wrinkled, because the first smell he had was that of smoke.

The cockpit was a mess- broken wiring, shattered glass, and burnt metal- littered the small space. On the cockpit window pane- whatever wasn't broken- had a small stain of crimson.

_Blood? But where.._

His question was instantly answered, as his neck gave a jerk, and a sudden pain occurred.

He froze, and slowly reached his hand to the back of his neck. He felt the warm, moist undersurface of his skin. The pane had peeled a layer of his fur.

He gave out a gasp of agony as his claws accidentally nicked the wound.

_Wait! The battle... I'm not flying... _

He peaked through a crack in the pane. A stream of light was coming through. He pushed up the hood of his window.

Wolf gasped, and doing so inhaling a large amount of fresh air.

He was in a beautiful meadow, with sunlight streaming through the nearest tree top. The ground was covered with green grass, with dew drops still hanging off the tips. There were flowers...chrysanthemums, bluebells, dandelions, and some exotic ones he couldn't recognize.

_Is this Corneria? No, wait, I boosted before the missile could engulf my ship...oh, wait,_ _the_ academy's _ship...shit..._

_This is a different place...it's amazing..._

He climbed out of the cockpit and took another deep breath of the sweet air. The closed, stuffy synthetic air of the academy wasn't anything like this. This air was so natural, like anyone who lived here would be immortal.

He glanced back at the inside of the cockpit. This would take weeks of repair, maybe months.

Hold on…maybe….

An overwhelming thought came to him. The self-constructing emergency kit! He pushed aside the broken metal and wires to get to the cargo trunk. And there it was, small and green, sticking out from under the mess.

He pulled it out and examined it. Surprisingly, machine hadn't been damaged. He could get to self construct the controls. He could go home!

Then he looked around. There was so much life here. And this was just a miniature meadow, there could miles of unexplored area.

He looked back at the kit. _I guess I could take a look around. _

He first ripped a bit of his jacket and made a messy and untidy bandage for his wound. Then, he pulled out his stun blaster, and moved forward.

The clearing he had crashed in was a small part of a huge forest, filled with creeks, rocks, logs, and endless flowers. Wolf marked some of the tree bark with his claw, just so he could tell where he had been.

Then he spotted a huge rock formation. He strode around it to get a better look. There was a gaping hole inside of it, indicating a tunnel leading toward the inside.

Wolf bristled with excitement. Old memories of the Venomian caves of his childhood sprang to his mind.

He went inside, but the light from the outside of the cave was the only light there. He went farther, until the light from the entrance was getting weaker. Suddenly, the light disappeared completely.

_Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. I need to make there's a way out_.

He turned and went into the direction he had come in. He took thirty paces when he was sure he was lost. "Hello?" he murmured stupidly.

He knew of course, there wasn't a chance there wasn't anyone else in the cave.

He heard his echo. He was going to go mad in this place, wandering aimlessly forever. The thought made him walk faster, until it was a fearful sprint.

Then something caught on to his boot, causing him to trip. His face skidded against the rough cave floor, splitting his lip. Wolf felt warm blood fill his mouth.

_Shit! Stupid rocks! I don't how I even survived those caves in Venom…._

He felt around to see what he had tripped over. To his astonishment, he could _see _the floor. A bluish glow was lighting up the ground. He rolled over to see where the light was coming from.

_Oh my god…_

About an inch from him, was the glowing rock formation of the largest sapphires he had ever seen. But their glow wasn't natural. There wasn't any light in the cave. Was the light…coming _from _the crystals?

Wolf leaned forward and ran his hand over the formation, casting a shadow against the ground.

_Wait..If it's giving off light…_

He pulled on the top and broke off a chunk of the sapphire. He held it to the wall. Of course, a torch!

He led himself around the tunnels and found the way out, the sunlight burning against his eyes.

_Okay, enough exploring for me…. I'm off this stinking planet…._

He looked at the sapphire in his hand. At least the trip wasn't a total loss. This was something that he could use as a trophy back at the academy to show that he had been here.

Suddenly, he heard a rustle causing his ears to twitch. He froze.

Someone, or something, was behind him.

_So I'm not alone…. _

He thought about the stun blaster in his jacket. _No, I've trained for this._

He motioned slowly towards his ship. Then as fast as he could move, he dived and rolled into the nearest hedge.

Then he heard a petrifying roar. This wasn't a civil Cornerian. This was a predator.

He looked through the hedge.

_What the hell?_

He first saw two meaty legs, large and scaly, clawed with huge talons. He moved upwards, past a scaly chest, and upward to a grinning head, baring huge, knife-like teeth. He had seen something like it in a textbook in Peppy's biology biological studies.

It was a T-Rex, but its claws—this was no ordinary dinosaur. What was it doing in a place like this?

_It must be genetically altered or something….I saw plenty of creepy things in those Venomian caves….that psychotic ape was doing horrible things…_

The claws of this thing were each about two feet long each. Its eyes searched for life. Wolf had a pretty good idea that it was searching for him.

He had to make a break for it. The engine of his Arwing probably hadn't self-constructed yet, but maybe he could link a distress call through the comm...

_It's my only chance… _

He made a jolt for the Arwing. The T-rex gave a roar and sung its head to bite where Wolf was previously standing.

Wolf pulled on the Arwing's hood. C'mon..open up…

Oh no…the security lock…

He cursed for not leaving the cockpit open. _The damn thing locked itself! I should have read the manual!_

The dinosaur looked up, letting out another ear-splitting roar. Wolf spun around to face it. It was a lot bigger now that he was standing in front of it.

_Oh, god… I'm done….He's gonna kill me…I might as well have been killed in the crash….._

It began to charge. It came running, tail swinging mouth wide open, showing off those horrible teeth….

_This is it….I'm gonna miss Leon…Even Fox, dammit…_

He shut his eyes.

He heard a loud cry, like a war yell, coming from the monster's direction.

_Huh? It could make a noise like that…?_

Then he heard a clang. Okay, now I know that wasn't the…He opened his eyes.

Someone, a person, was standing between him and the monsters massive teeth. The figure was holding a staff, and had wedged it between the thing's teeth. He looked up, past long curvy legs, a gold-embroidered loin-cloth, a long delicate back tied with a golden bra, and short cut hair.

Wha…

The figure made an amazing leap over the Rex, twirling magnificently and landing lightly.

It was then that Wolf saw his savior's face.

It was a vixen, with blue fur, and a lovely, heart-shaped face, lightly shaded, with short hair cut back, and bearing a golden tiara. She had the most beautiful eyes Wolf had ever seen, turquoise, set perfectly on her face, giving a fierce look of pride and beauty. Wolf had never seen someone this kind of beauty, not the kind that could be touched or ruined, the natural kind, like someone who was pretty and didn't care. He couldn't take his eyes off her.

He didn't have time to admire her for long, because as soon as she landed on the ground, she swung her staff down on the dinosaur's tail.

But the beast was ready this time. It swung its tail upward, knocking the vixen off her feet on to the ground.

The Rex dived its head towards her, but she blocked with her staff.

Then the dinosaur swept its foot, clawing her chest.

"NO!" cried Wolf. But it was too late. The vixen collapsed clutching her bleeding chest, and passed out.

Wolf ran to her side. Her face had been cut slightly, her eyes closed, shoeing no signs of life…

_No….not dead…please be alive…._

He didn't know what to do. The vixen that had saved him was dying. Because of him.

_No…it's all my fault…please…doesn't die…_

_I didn't want to hurt you…._

He turned towards the Rex. It was licking its lips disgustingly, as if it had scored a triumph.

_You…._

His fists were clenched. His heart was throbbing and his stomach was in a knot.

_YOU HURT HER!_

The ground was trembling. Something was stirring inside of him, but what….

"I'M GOING TO FUCKING KILL YOU!"

Suddenly, his arms were engulfed in flames, as well as his tail and feet. He leapt towards the monster, getting faster with every step.

He became hotter….and hotter….until he felt nothing.

"_**FIIIIIIIIIIRRRRRRRRREEEEE, WOOOOLLLLFFFF!"**_

He didn't know what happened next, but he landed on the ground swiftly, and turned to face the dinosaur.

The Rex did nothing at first. Then one of its teeth fell out and its claws fell out, and it fell forward with a THUD! It opened its mouth, revealing a huge smoking hole in the back of its mouth, and then was silent.

_Wha…did I…how did I do that?_

He looked at his hands and feet. The fire was gone, but a thirty-yard scorch mark in every direction covered the ground around him.

He turned to the vixen. He examined her chest. He listened for a heart-beat. It was there but it was very faint.

_You're alive….._

_I don't what just happened but….I don't care….you're alive, and that's all that matters….I swear…I'm going to save you._

_End of Chapter_

Well, well, well! Things are getting interesting, aren't they? I hope when Crazy Foxie's reading, I hope she thought the first meeting was appropriate. You all probably know who the vixen is, but you're just gonna have to see Chapter 5 if you want to see some interaction.

Peace out, young grasshoppers,

Victor.


	5. Chapter 5

Hey, Hey, Hey! It's Victor, with the rest of Star Wolf's origins, and the appearance of a sassy new character, which you all may recognize. Prepare: This is gonna be a loooooooooong chapter!

_Chapter 5: Memories Shared_

Still on the Unknown Planet, about 30 minutes Later

The vixen's eyes flickered, and lifted her head slightly.

"Good to see you're awake. I was afraid I would have to wake you. And judging by that staff of yours, well, that probably would've been a bad idea."

The vixen jerked awake, grabbing the staff placed next to her and pointing it for Wolf's throat.

Wolf's eyes became wide, his hand reaching for his jacket…

"Don't even try it," said the vixen in a dangerous tone. "I already know about it."

Wolf slowly pulled out his stun blaster by the butt, and placed it on the ground.

"Do you trust me now?" asked Wolf in an innocent voice.

"Well, that depends. Who are you?"

"I guess I should ask you first. You are the one who saved me."

Wolf noticed her look of mistrust lessen.

"And you…you saved….me?"

"Call it what you want, but yes."

She looked down at her freshly bandaged chest. "And you, uh-"

Wolf shuffled his boots sheepishly. "Well, um, sorry it's a messy way to repair a bandage, but I really didn't pay too much attention in Peppy's healing class."

The vixen's eyebrow's furrowed. "Oh, I came from the Cornerian Flight Academy. I'm a pilot." Wolf said. _I think she might have guessed the last part._

"That's _your_ machine? You crashed here?"

"Wait, you saw me crash?"

"Of course," said the vixen. "The whole forest could hear you. You made quite an entrance."

"So did you, attacking that thing."

Her face lit with alarm. "Is it dead?"

He held up one of its razor sharp claws.

She stared at him stunned. "I can't believe it. That beast has evaded my grasp since it was mutated. It's killed so many preys for almost six months. And you killed it? And managed to take its claw? That is an act of an honorable warrior."

Wolf nodded. "Thanks, but you did most of the damage."

She kneeled. "You have saved me…thank you. I am entirely in your debt."

He laughed. "Get up. It wasn't that heroic. I just wanted to protect you."

She raised her eyebrow. "You talk like it's a minor thing."

_She makes me feel like Fox. Ugh, let's change the subject._

"So you're alone here?"

"Yes. I am the last of my clan. There is another beyond the mountains, but it's mostly cannibalistic."

"Sometimes being alone is best to develop self-reliance. Once you rely on yourself you can survive easier."

"How would you know?"

"I was stranded on Venom for as long as I can remember. Then Star Fox came and took me to their academy."

Her eyes shown with curiosity. "What's it like? Are there people like you there?"

"Well, I guess, if you count—hang on, what do you mean, like me?"

"You're the only one of your kind I've ever seen."

"Well, I am the only wolf in the academy. But what about you? You're a blue vixen!"

"There was once a whole clan of us. But I was born alone, with no one to care for me."

"Wait, you mean you all were—well, _blue_? What kind of race is that? What's your name, even?"

The vixen's eyes shown with pride. "My name is Krystal, and I am Cerinian."

"Nice to meet you, Krystal. You know you're the first blue vixen I've ever seen."

She laughed. "Congratulations."

"I'm guessing this place is Cerinia."

Wolf cocked his head slightly. "So you know about ships and speak perfect English, and you're not even surprised that I came from a different planet. Care to explain why you're carrying a spear and wearing a loincloth?"

_Not that that's a bad thing…_

"A lot of ships pass this place. One person taught me English and about ships and everything. He even taught me how to fly one. But I found out how cruel he really was, that he only planned on using me, and to experiment on me."

"What was his name?"

Krystal looked down. "I don't know. I can't remember." Wolf could tell Krystal wasn't telling the whole story, but knew how she felt.

"Well, if you know all of that stuff, why live so….."

"Primitive?" she answered for him. "It respects our traditions. Besides, the more reliable you are over yourself, the more of a survivor you'll be. You said so yourself."

"Yeah, you're pretty good in a fight. You almost fight like a professional combat specialist."

Krystal smiled. "Really? I didn't really think about it like that."

Wolf studied her. "So, uh, is the golden cloth coverings part of the 'tradition'?"

Krystal put her hands on her hips reproachfully. "These 'coverings' are official clothing of the Cerinian Royal Family."

"Wait, _royal_?"

"Yes. I am a princess, the last of my clan."

Wolf couldn't help but think _well, she mentioned that minor detail a bit late._

"But it's just a title," Said Krystal. "No, I don't think of myself as royal. I have all I need here. I don't need subjects."

Suddenly a beeping noise echoed through the forest.

"The self-construction kit!"

He got up and ran towards his Arwing. He kicked open the hood and checked the kit. It read _Construction close to being completed. 57% completed._

"Well, looks like I'm stuck on this planet a little longer than I planned."

He turned to Krystal. "Well, this may take a while. Maybe 20 hours to the least."

"Um, I really want to see the rest of this place. But I need someone to well…"

"Show you around?" Krystal finished for him. "I'd like that. It's been a while since I've had company."

"Okay. But keep the staff out. I don't want to have to save you from another snaggle-toothed thing."

She laughed. "All right."

So they walked through the forest, crossing small streams, swampy marshes, rocky cliffs, and trails of flowers. Krystal showed Wolf her entire world, filled with stories and funny accidents at each spot. Wolf, in turn told her about his life in the academy, but careful not to mention anyone in particular, about shooting practice, nervous "girls" moments, flying simulation, and all the golden times of his life at the academy. Krystal never got tired of hearing more, and instead of asking him to pause, she would ask him more questions. Wolf could tell she was fascinated with his life-style in Corneria.

"And then I look around, and that stupid robot has my shorts!"

Krystal laughed. Her laugh was like a stream, trickling down the creek.

_She has a nice laugh. I don't get tired of hearing it…._

She paused in her tracks. "Ooh, this is my favorite pond. I lost an earring here, you know," she added in an as-a-matter-of-fact-type of voice.

Wolf looked around. It was a quiet pond with a little stream, a few lily pads, and a waterfall in the distance. "It is kind of nice."

"You want to go in for a dip?"

Wolf spun around instantly. "Wha—me?"

Krystal rolled her eyes. "No, the lily pads. Of course you."

He looked at her obviously surprised. "Is it sanitary?"

"Well, seeing I'm the only civilized inhabitant of Cerinia, I suppose it is."

"No, I meant, do you have any swimwear besides-" he paused looking down at her clothes.

Krystal looked confused for a moment, and then looked down. " Oh, I have a spare swimsuit back in my dwelling. Be right back."

"Wait, Krystal-"

But she had already sprinted forward.

He sighed. _Well I guess I'm swimming in my drawls._

About an hour later, Krystal returned dressed in a white bikini.

Wolf headed towards her. "There you are! What the hell took you so long?"

"Well, I had to-"

She stopped, her eyes wide.

"What?" asked Wolf, obviously confused.

"Whoa! These are the biggest abs I've ever seen!" She strode forward, circling him.

_What's she doing… _

She began stroking his biceps. He took a step back, feeling a bit uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry," Krystal said. "I just…I've never seen someone looking so fit! Do you have a work-out in that academy of yours."

"Yeah," said Wolf, still unsure what had just happened.

"C'mon!" She turned and splashed into the water. "The water's at perfect temperature."

She looked around. He was gone.

"Hm?" She turned around.

"HAH!" he yelled splashing her.

She gave a small shriek and cowered.

Wolf laughed so hard he was practically underwater.

Krystal's face became pink. "That wasn't _funny! _I thought you had drowned or something!"

Wolf laughed. "Yeah, well, it was worth it for that laugh alone!"

"Ooh! I'll show you, you arrogant pup!" She splashed him back.

Wolf felt like such a kid, splashing around, but he didn't feel it mattered.

"C'mon, princess! Is that all you got?"

She leapt out of the water. "You'll have to catch me first!"

Wolf grinned. "Okay then! Pray I don't catch up."

He leapt out of the water, picking up his feet as he got on land.

"Where are you…"

He turned to see Krystal holding her mouth.

"What?"

Krystal said nothing. She was giggling like an immature girl.

"What are you snickering at?"

She pointed downwards.

He looked down. Suddenly, his face felt hot. _Oh SHIT!_

He grabbed a leaf nearby leaf and covered himself.

"_Where are my drawls?"_

Krystal giggled some more. "I think they're still in the water."

She turned around. "Oh here they are. They're pretty adorable too."

Wolf's veins were practically pulsing out his forehead. "That isn't funny, Krystal," he said in a dangerously low voice. _"Give them back."_

She grinned mischievously. "What's the matter, Mr. Big-Shot-Dinosaur-Slayer? Can't catch a girl holding your precious undies?"

It was Wolf's turn to turn pink. "I mean it!"

"You'll get them when you catch me!" And with that she sprinted off into the woods.

"Krystal! _Krystal!"_

He stood there for a moment. _At least Fox isn't here to see this._

_4 hours later._

"C'mon, I've apologized, like 20 times. Are you going to forgive me?"

They were both sitting on a grassy hill overlooking most of the forest. The blue moon hovering just above Cerinia's surface was shining brightly, igniting the rest of the stars as well.

Wolf, dressed back in his academy jacket and uniform, scooted away from Krystal a little. "A man's drawls aren't a force to be reckoned with."

Krystal laughed. "Well, it was worth it for that laugh alone," she said in a familiarly cocky voice.

Wolf grumbled something about "not being mature."

Krystal gave a contented sigh. "This has been the most fun I've had in my whole life. Thank you so much."

Wolf leaned back. "Hey, think nothing of it. You've been surviving all this time. You deserved a day off."

Krystal closed her eyes. "Yeah."

Then, Wolf remembered.

"Hey, Krystal! Look at this!"

"Oh my goodness…..look at the size of that sapphire!"

"Yeah, she's a beaut….I found it in a cave when I got lost….I used it as a source of light…."

"It's beautiful….how on earth did you find it? It must be a rare kind….I've never seen it before…"

"If you like it so much, you can take it."

"What? Of course I can't! You found it, it's valuable!"

"Nah, when I broke it from its formation, so I got another piece. Here…you take it."

"I can't accept it, alright? It's too valuable to give away."

"Come on, just take it, Krystal. I'll have a piece, you'll have a piece….that way, if we're apart….I'll always have a piece of the time I spent with you, and so will you."

"….Thank you. This….this means a lot. I'm honored. I'll never forget this…..this night has been the best…..and now I won't forget it. Thank you."

"Jeez, Krystal, stop thanking me already. If I wanted mushy stuff, I would've never left the Academy. Let's talk about something else."

Wolf looked at the sky. "These constellations are amazing. Are they like this every night?"

Krystal sat up. "Mm-hm." She pointed at one speckled cluster of stars. "That's Anik-Suritcha, the leader of the first Cerinian fox clan. He was a brave and cunning warrior. Not unlike yourself."

Wolf smiled. "Thanks. But I could really use some of your moves too."

"Only if you teach me some as well."

He held out his hand. "Deal."

He shook hands with Krystal. She had small, delicate hands.

He bent his arms behind his neck and rested his head against the grass.

"Hey, Krystal."

One of her eyes opened. "Hm?"

"If you ever leave this planet, what are you going to do?"

She sighed. "Become a pilot, I guess. Join the military, fight people. But what I want to do most of all is travel, see new places. Meet new people, try new things, hear stories, that sort of thing. I haven't really planned where I'll start, but the Cornerian army seems fitting. What about you?"

Wolf sat up to get a better look at the stars. "I don't know. I want to make something of myself. I want to fight, but I also want people all across the Lylat System to know my name, so if they see my face, they'll say something like 'Oh there's Wolf, the champion of Corneria' or something. But I don't want to be some dusty old war major like Major Pepper. I want to be known for my skill, not for being some Star Fox suck-up."

Krystal's eyebrows furrowed. "Star Fox? I've never heard of them. Who are they?"

Wolf sneered. "Some chump group, headed by the world's biggest show-off. Some kids, like Katt Monroe, want to graduate and start a group of their own. Not a bad idea though."

Krystal looked up. "What do the groups do?"

"Fight for the government, travel, go on exciting missions, typical stuff. Leon and I want to start our own group , except we'll just be hired for special jobs, like traveling to distant moons to save whole civilizations or something."

"When do you plan on graduating?" asked Krystal.

Wolf sighed. "I don't know. I'm trying my best, but every time I get close to achieving something, I get put down. Sometimes makes me wonder if I made the right choice to become a pilot."

Krystal looked over to him. "Don't ever think that. You're the best pilot I know."

"I'm also the first pilot you've known."

"C'mon, you're a great pilot. Honest. And I know you'll make it through the academy, because you're the best. I know you're destined for something greater, because I realized it when you saved me. You're a wonderful person for saving me, and a great warrior. You're kind of my personal knight-in-shining-armor," she added with a warm smile.

Wolf felt warm and happy hearing all this. "Thanks Krystal. You're really nice to me. You're not to bad in a fight either."

She smiled. "Thanks. I hope I'll be able to blend in with other people though. I feel kind of different."

"Don't worry about it Krystal. You're still the prettiest vixen I've ever seen."

The words were out of his mouth before he could stop himself. His face felt hot, as he clasped his mouth with his hand.

Krystal smiled shyly, blushing as she did so. "You think so? Well, I'm flattered. You're not to bad-looking yourself."

Wolf stared hard at the sky, trying desperately to change the topic. As he did so, he noticed small shapes in front of the moon. They looked distant, but they were definitely ships.

_Huh?_

Suddenly a siren went off, coming from the direction of the ships.

Wolf sat up instantly.

_Those aren't…oh my God…_

"Krystal we have to go! NOW!"

He leapt up, seizing Krystal by the arm and ran in the direction of the forest, with Krystal running behind him.

"What's-" she started.

"No time! Let's go!"

He ran to his repaired Arwing. The repairs were complete. He switched on the intergalactic map. Cerinia's moon came into focus. Surrounding it, was a fleet of Venomian warships.

_Oh no…._

"Krystal, we've got to get out of here. Hop in, you're coming with me."

Her eyes shone with concern. "Why?"

"Those ships?" he pointed at the moon. "They're Venomian. If they land on Cerinia, they'll rip this place apart, _and us with it!"_

Krystal gasped. "But you're Cornerian. If they capture you-" she clasped his hand.

He turned to her. "I know."

She looked around. "But there are other dinosaur clans here. They don't know! I have to warn them!"

"Wait! It's too risky. You won't make it back in time, we need to leave now!"

"I—I can't. I'm not going to just abandon those innocent creatures."

"You don't _need_ to save them! You don't need to be the heroine! You'll die!"

Her ears drooped. "Then I'll die."

He clasped her hand. "NO! I won't let you."

She held his hand. "Don't worry. I have my own method of getting out of here. Just go. I won't forgive myself if you die."

"_I_ won't forgive myself if _you_ die! Just come!"

She brushed her hand on his face. "Listen. I'm going to warn them. I'll come to your base. There I'll learn your name." she added with a small smile.

Wolf looked into her eyes. "You never gave me the chance to tell you."

They embraced for a long time. Wolf felt Krystal's heart beating, fastly like a hummingbird against his.

Wolf held onto her hand. "I will come find you. I promise."

She smiled. "I know you will."

And with that he climbed into his ship, looked at her again, with a look that said _Goodbye_, and pushed painfully on the ignition.

His ship rose into the air. He looked down at her small figure, as she waved to him.

_I shouldn't feel sad. I'm going to see her again. I have to._

He saw the fleet first thing he hit space.

_That's strange. They haven't moved since I saw them. Why aren't they landing?_

Suddenly, the largest ship unveiled a large, claw-like laser cannon.

_What…_

_Oh no!_

He spun the ship around as fast as he could.

_C'mon…no…no…_

The claw blasted a huge pink beam towards the planet.

_NO!_

Firts there was nothing, then there was a huge explosion, and the Arwing spun out of control.

Wolf looked around frantically.

Cerinia was gone. Smoking bits of rock were orbiting where it once stood.

No…it can't be….Krystal.

Hot tears sprang into his eyes. He slammed his fist on the controls.

_No…she…can't be….no…_

_I never told her my name…or how I felt about her…._

End of Chapter


	6. Chapter 6

Hellooooooooo, I'm guessing you're curious to know what happens, eh? I must thank you for support, readers, for sticking by teenaged Wolf so far. I targeted the last chapter to be a sentimental one, but this one is going to have a few dramatic moments, including some "Ah-a!" moments.

_Chapter 6: The Mournful Promise_

Cornerian Flight Academy, about an hour later

The Arwing carrying Wolf zoomed back into the hangar of the Academy. It had been a silent trip, full of bitter tears, painful memories, and feelings of deep loss.

_Krystal's gone…I couldn't save her…_

He glanced out the window as he landed on the landing pad, and saw a crowd of students, and three figures stood in the front, ones which usually would've caused him dread, but had no effect on him with the burden of loss he had now.

He climbed nimbly out of the cockpit, avoiding gaze with the approaching figures.

"There you are, Wolf!" Peppy rushed towards him checking him roughly for injuries.

"M'Fine." He mumbled.

"Where the hell did you sneak off to, Pilot O'Donnell? And _how_ the hell did you?" squealed Pigma.

"You've got a lot of explaining to do, cadet," said James coldly. Wolf couldn't see his expression, but he could tell from his voice that he was furious. "The Cornerian Law Department is here to question you. You know what kind of God-forsaken reputation you've given to this school? You're a disgrace! I don't even know how you made it past level 1. I almost wish I hadn't saved your pitiful hide from that planet Venom."

Peppy looked at him in shock. "James---"

"No. I have every right to be hard on this boy. He's caused enough trouble to be prosecuted and good riddance. If only there was some father figure in this boy's life maybe the God-damn man might've taught his son to--"

He stopped himself. He had realized he had gone to far. Peppy and Pigmas' jaws dropped.

Wolf pulled out his stun blaster and raised it to James's face. James, in response pulled out his own, completely real blaster and faced Wolf.

"Pulling a blaster on an official? That's a no-exception penalty of expulsion! At least---"

"SHUT UP!" howled Wolf, speaking aloud for the first time since he'd arrived.

"What did you j---?"

"_SHUT. THE. FUCKING. HELL. UP! _I've just watched a planet die, and all you can think about is your stupid rules?! People have died tonight, and I was an inch from being one of them! But you, you just have to come up to me and stick your shit-filled face at me, and lecture me some more! She's dead! _Dead! _Because of me!"

He threw down his stun pistol and stomped on it, causing it to cause a small explosion and bursting through Wolf's foot, but he didn't care.

He grabbed the barrel of James's blaster and thrust it towards his face, tears streaming out of his eyes. "Here! You want to kill me? Go ahead! I want to die! I don't care anymore…no more! I don't want to live knowing….having to know all I've lost!" He fell to his knees, weeping.

James looked awestruck. Pigma's tiny eyes were wide with shock.

Peppy helped Wolf up. "Calm down, Wolf. Calm down, it'll be fine…"

"You've watched a planet die?" asked James. "What're you talking about, cadet?"

Wolf sat up, his purple eyes filled with anguish. "It's gone…everything…That fleet…_Venomian_…That claw cannon thing…"

James's eyes widened. "Oh my God."

Peppy's ears twitched frantically. "Th-The Planet Disruptor!"

"Wolf, you just saw Dr. Andross's Planet Disruptor. It has the ability to vaporize and entire planet, and harness its energy. He reported it stolen about a week ago from his lab. But he'll be happy to know whose hands it's in."

Peppy put a comforting hand on Wolf's shoulder. "Just go to your dorm, Wolf. You don't have to explain anything now. You can take your time overcoming what happened tonight."

Wolf got up, limping from the injury the broken stun blaster had given his foot, but he could barely feel it. He limped past the crowd of the faces of shocked students: Fox, Falco, Slippy, Bill, Katt, Dash, all with looks of shock.

He made his way to the dorm corridor, but the hall felt like it was closing in all around him.

He found his dorm and opened the door, and collapsed on the bed with a sob of torment.

_She's gone…I can't bring her back…_

_I should've stopped her from going and warning those dinosaurs! And now they're dead too…_

_Why…why her…she didn't have to die…she was so beautiful….so delicate…so nice to me…so gentle…so loving…_

_I want to be with her…Now, I've got nothing left…._

He turned towards the drawer. He didn't know if anyone knew, but he always kept a casket of nicotine in there…

It was his only chance to be with her again. He shakily pulled the drawer out, and peered inside. There it was, a small green bottle, filled with little white pills.

He felt his palms sweat. Wolf had never dwelled too often on suicide. He knew what he was leaving behind: A mediocre station, with the world's biggest show-off, and a position that would never hope to graduate.

He unscrewed the cork and slipped out one pill, but missed his hand and caused the pill to fall on the floor. He was bending down to pick it up, when the door swung open.

"_Wolf!" _

He was slammed into with a bear-like hug, and smelled the stench of Moonrise beer and rotten insects…the smell he knew best.

"Leon?"

Leon faced him, his eyes swimming with tears. "I thought I'd lost you, buddy!" He sniffed. "The galaxy map with your ship on it vanished and, I heard about the planet explosion and…and.."

He blinked back tears. "And I'm glad you're okay pal. You're not going anywhere without me, okay?"

Wolf looked hard at him. "You---You were worried about me?"

"Of course I did! I'm your best friend! Why wouldn't I be worried?!" He smacked Wolf on the snout playfully.

Wolf felt his insides squirm. He had forgotten all about Leon. He felt so shallow, not putting his feelings in consideration before killing himself. He still had a future with him.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

Wolf looked up and cleared his throat. "Yeah. I'm just---shocked. I just saw a planet destroyed."

Leon sighed. "I know. I feel terrible." He sighed mournfully. "I feel sad about the people who died there."

Wolf blinked back tears. "Me too."

"Well, at least now you won't be questioned by the authorities. And Peppy says that you can take as much time off from training as you want, to recover from what happened tonight."

He looked at the pills on the floor. He had almost thrown his future, his dreams, and his friendship with Leon, for suicide.

_Krystal would never have wanted me to kill myself…. _

_No, she wouldn't… She was my friend…she would trust me...to do the right thing…_

He remembered that he had said to her that he would make a team and the words that she spoke, about him being the best and how much she had believed in him.

_I can't let her down…I _will _make_ _a team…I'll become something in this galaxy…If not for Krystal's legacy, but for Leon…_

_I made a promise. I'm not going to break this one, not like how…_

His eyes welled with tears, just thinking about how she had touched his face, how her eyes had looked…

"Wolf? Are you _sure_ you're okay?"

Wolf's mind fell back to reality.

"Go get some sleep, Leon. You've been up all night worrying for too long. Tell Peppy I won't need time off. Tomorrow I'll get back to training. We still got a team, right?"

Leon smiled, holding out his fist. "You bet. Glad to have you back, pal."

Wolf smiled, pounding Leon's fist.

_Good old Leon._

He yawned and began turning towards the door. "I guess I'll turn in then."

Wolf picked up the pills and stared long and hard at them_. I'm not going to throw away my life. I've got my team to think about._

He tossed them into the waste incinerator bin in the corner of his room.

He strode towards the large window and looked out at the stars.

"Hey, Wolf." Leon called from the door.

Wolf put his hands in his pockets. "Yeah?"

It was then he realized he was still carrying two objects. The huge claw, which he had saved Krystal from that dinosaur on their first meeting, and the sapphire crystal, a chunk of which was missing, because he had given half to Krystal to keep while they had been walking through the forest together.

"You saw Cerinia with your own eyes. What did it look like?"

Wolf put the claw away in a drawer next to his bed. He stared at the sapphire. He could almost see Krystal's beautiful turquoise eyes staring back.

His eyes filled with tears. "It was beautiful, Leon. The most beautiful thing in the whole Lylat System."

_End of Chapter_

Hope you enjoyed the chapter. It was hard to write though, because I couldn't really picture someone like Wolf to be so emotional. Until next time then, young grasshoppers.


	7. Chapter 7

Hi! It's Dav—uh, _I mean_ Victor. I'm so glad you guys are still reading. Some more people have subscribed, and I'm completely psyched! Well, at least now I'll be able to return to the Cornerian Academy bit. I have so much fun with scenes like this!

_Chapter 7: Training to Conquer_

Cornerian Flight Academy, 2 BLW (1 year later)

_Wolf has trained for months, and Leon…well, he's just… being Leon. As Wolf excels to Ace Pilot Level 8, his fame becomes the stuff of Academy Legend. He gets in fights, sneaks in drinks, and beats Andrew to a pulp with every chance he gets. He becomes the idol of every level 1 pilot. Wolf simulates flying, and beats Fox countless times at his own game, but good-sport Fox, congratulates him every time, much to Wolf's annoyance. Falco, not so much. He and Wolf quarrel over who's the better flyer, but eventually, Wolf gets the upper hand. Eventually, thoughts of Krystal fade from his mind…_

_But James has an eye on Wolf. He constantly urges Fox to grab the chance to beat him, but of course Fox refuses. As the months go by, the arguments between James and Wolf turn to quarrels, until one day, they push each others limits too far…_

"_Hah! Huh! Hyah!"_

The young spaniel jabbed at his opponent, giving off battle yells in his high-pitched voice.

"Screaming your head off isn't going to help you win," said 17-year-old Wolf, in a deeper voice.

He blocked the spaniel's every move. Then he grabbed his opponent's wrist, curled his arm painfully, and flipped him with a swift kick.

The dog sprawled against the training room floor. Wolf leapt on him before he could get up. "Give?"

The spaniel panted. "Yeah, if you don't kill me first!"

Wolf grinned. "Looks like the floor's mine." He turned to the other 24 losers. _"Again."_

They all groaned. Some first-time tween pups came up.

"Whoa Wolf, you're going to own the Apes in the battlefield!"

"No one can win against your claws!"

"Teach us a few, please?'

"We want to be conquerors, too!"

Wolf smiled arrogantly, enjoying all the attention.

Leon walked over. "Nice job, man. I'm just glad I'm gonna be on _your_ team. That way I won't become a shish-kabob on those claws."

Wolf laughed. "Yeah."

There was a clap in the back. "Bravo. You've managed to fillet another student. But that won't help you in a real fight."

Wolf turned to see James McCloud on the other side of the Training Room.

"What exactly are you playing at?" asked Wolf coldly.

"I'm saying that you aren't using real methods to fight. You're rushing into battle, claws out, teeth bared, without relying on your true instincts. You aren't studying your opponent's moves."

"Except my opponents don't have any proper moves for me to "study" on. Focus is the key to winning a battle, not instincts. That's for piloting a ship, not trading fists with a Venomian flunky." Wolf crossed his arms skeptically.

"Think so?" asked James casually. "I think that unless you do, you'll get squashed into a pulp out on the battlefield."

Wolf growled menacingly. "What would you know about fighting, flyboy? I've beaten about 25 people here."

James looked hard at him. "Well, then let's put your so-called skills to the test. How about you go against me?"

The room fell silent. James McCloud, leader of Star Fox, challenging a common student?

"_Me?_ Fight _you_?" Wolf scoffed. "I'm just afraid I'll leave Star Fox without a leader!"

"Then you have nothing to fear. This will be a lesson not only for you, but the whole class."

Wolf glared at him. _We'll see._

The floor cleared and James stepped forward, wielding a staff.

Wolf looked surprised. "Wait. We've been fighting standard style with, fist and foot. You can't use a weapon."

"Well, you've been using your claws, haven't you?"

"That doesn't count."

James swung the staff downward on him. Wolf blocked it with his wrist. He forced his weight on it and flung a punch.

Instantly, James slammed the staff into Wolf's stomach, whirled around him, and kicked him into the floor.

"_Oof!"_

James circled Wolf's body on the ground. "Watch this inexperienced one blunder. He doesn't rely on instincts. He's only going to fall repeatedly."

Wolf leapt up and aimed a kick at James's face. James staggered back, his glasses falling to the floor.

The crowd watching edged closer. Now the duel was getting interesting.

James looked up with his pale gray eyes. "That was a lucky shot."

"Well, let's hope luck keeps lingering, but for you, not me." Wolf said coolly.

James swirled his staff and smacked Wolf on the nose. Wolf grabbed the end of the staff, pushed it upwards, and delivered a punch to James's jaw.

"Stop fighting like a rough! Trust in your instincts and attack me properly!"

Wolf untangled himself from the staff's grasp. "You just don't get it, do you? Instincts won't help out on the real front. Focusing on the opponents weaknesses will grant me victory."

James jabbed his staff at Wolf's stomach, thwacked at his snout, and spun around again, knocking Wolf off his feet.

"You're a fool in thinking you can defeat me. Training with instincts takes years of mastering. You're an inexperienced pup, and you won't win one battle using your own pathetic techniques."

_Oh really?_

"That's you take so long to graduate, because you're so arrogant. You think you can defeat someone using the same stupid technique? Anyone with brains knows that you can't. You don't have what it takes to defeat anyone, let alone me, because you're too weak."

"HAAAAAHHH!"

Wolf pounced on to James and wrenched half of the staff off. SNAP!

He held half of the staff like a short sword. "I'll show you what it takes to defeat someone as cocky as you!"

He swung his half-staff back and forth, splitting and slapping James in all his open places. James released his blocking stance and prepared to deliver the final blow.

_Now's my chance!_

Wolf pushed his stick forward forcing James to step back. He struck James's left leg and spun him around, holding his neck with the half-staff.

Wolf and James breathed heavily. They had been going at this fight for a while. The crowd of observers was in total shock. The leader of the Star Fox Team, James McCloud, Coneria's #1 combat specialist had been beaten by a common student!

"Give?" asked Wolf, holding his broken staff at James's throat.

James said nothing as he got up, brushed off his trousers, and picked up his glasses.

"I see. You have learned nothing, then. You haven't changed since the first day you came here, Wolf."

"Why, because you lost?" asked Wolf coldly.

James narrowed his eyes behind his sunglasses. "Watch your attitude, young one. You need to learn your place."

_And you need to learn yours. _

"You'd better watch yourself out on the battlefield, James. Your cocky gestures and lame-ass ways won't be enough to save you one day."

"Is that a threat?"

"It's a promise."

He flung down the broken shaft and stormed out of the room, ignoring the shocked looks of the other students.

_And I'm not the kind of guy who doesn't keep the promises he makes… _

_End of Chapter_

_Oooh, getting tense, huh? Well see ya next next time, young grasshoppers._


	8. Chapter 8

Hi, it's Victor! Phew, this week, totally hectic! Between the release of New Moon, the upcoming Bleach Chapters, and running low on chocolate, I barely had time to write this! Not that I'm psyched about New Moon or anything, but c'mon, _werewolves? _I had to see that!

_Chapter 8: The Final Boundary_

Cornerian Flight Academy, 1 BLW

A year since Wolf and James's quarrel, Wolf has made academy history, by becoming one of the highest ranked pilots and combat specialists the Lylat System has ever seen. The day all students are terrified of, has finally come…

_Alright, time to move in…_

Wolf gathered up his stun rifle and headed through the tunnel. It was dark, drafty, and smelled like a wet sewer.

_I'd spray a bit of Lupine Axe, but Leon sold the last can. Not like I have the time anyway…_

He scoped around. The area looked secure. Not a lot of life, but normal-looking just the same.

_This can't be right. I've shot down 20 enemies, and this is it?_

He set down his rifle and looked behind, and that's when he heard it.

_Click._

Wolf stood still. It was the unmistakable sound of a pistol automatic ammo loader.

_Pretty sneaky, huh?_

He kicked his rifle into the air and fired some loud shots behind him.

He turned to see. Sure enough, the enemy fell to the ground, a stun needle buried into his armored suit.

He looked and saw an Arwing parked up ahead. He ran toward it, climbed in, strapped himself in and turned on the ignition.

He rose the Arwing into open space and charged at the incoming Venomian ships.

He fired a few shots at them, but three were coming in a V-formation.

He spun the ship into a barrel-roll and dodged the volley of laser-fire from the opposing team.

_Good thing Peppy isn't here to tell me to do a barrel-roll._

He went lower and lower and lower…

Then he slammed his foot on the breaks, but the ships ahead had engaged to fast on him, and plummeted forward.

He tapped the B button a few times and a few explosions came, one with a power-up.

_Hello, what have we here?_

He flew his ship to receive it.

_Duel Lasers. Just what I need!_

He accelerated to face another batch of ships. A bomber was headed his way.

He pulled back. He'd already had experience with missile fire.

_That's what got me to Cerinia. That's what brought me to…_

_Wait—Focus! It's the finals, remember? No time to think about that!_

He turned the thrusters and went behind some of the floating asteroids. He looked at the detector. The bomber had flown straight past him.

_Dumbass._

He flew out of the asteroid and blasted the bomber. The number of explosives the massive ship had been carrying must've been a lot, because the explosion was enormous.

_Yeah, the bigger they are, the harder they fall! _

He turned around and headed back towards the hangar.

He got out of the simulation vehicle and took off the helmet he had been wearing, with Infa-red visors and a sound emitter system. It could create images, sounds, and smells, to create a life-like simulation for combat.

It was called the Simulating Head Assault and Fighting Transmitter, or S.H.A.F.T. for short. The Academy Technology Instructor, Beltino, was trying to create a different name for it. A lot of the students found it rather hilarious when Andrew Oikanny lost his copy, so Peppy said "That's okay. You can borrow _my_ S.H.A.F.T."

So now the joke was all over the academy, and Andrew was the constant butt of them.

"_Hey Andrew, need a S.H.A.F.T?"_

"_Andrew, I think Peppy has one for you. Try not to break this one."_

"_You know the girls ain't gonna go after a guy without a S.H.A.F.T!"_

So this was probably why Wolf said "I'm done using your S.H.A.F.T, James."

The line of students waiting to take the final laughed. James didn't look amused.

Leon was waiting for Wolf at the exit. "Hey, man. How'd you think you did?"

Wolf shrugged. "It'll be an hour till R.O.B. calculates the total percentages of all the students. By the way, what've you been doing while I was taking the final?"

Leon grinned mischievously. "You'd be surprised how many students are scared that they failed. And what better way to mellow their sorrowful woe without a few spirits?"

Wolf laughed. "Yeah. Speaking of which, um…"

Leon popped open a bottle. "Way ahead of you." He passed it to him. "Time to celebrate, Wolf. Today we're students. Tomorrow, we're…um, we're…"

Wolf rolled his eyes. "Star Wolf, dumbass. I've told you like a hundred times. I guess you make yourself forget in hope that I might change my mind in calling it Star Leon."

Leon looked down. "Well…"

Wolf looked reproachful. "C'mon, man. Just because Pigma's part of Star Fox doesn't mean it's called _Star Pigma_. Besides, it's got a better ring to it."

"So you _do_ think Star Fox is a good team name."

"I didn't say that."

_2 Hours later…_

"Fox McCloud!"

Fox got up sweating. Falco patted him on the back. "It's okay, bud, you'll graduate. Just take the walk."

Fox walked up to the screen stand nervously.

R.O.B. made beeping noises for a second, did the calculations and looked up.

"Flight Maneuvering: 93.99%. Ship Offense: 89.98%. Technology Method: 72.33%. Assault Mode: 75.78%. You have passed all boards and are now eligible to join the Cornerian Army. You are now a graduate. Congratulations."

Fox's face flushed with relief. There was a huge applause from the crowd, and large whooping from his friends.

"Yeah, Fox, I knew you could do it!"

"We all knew, Bill."

"YEAH FOX! You're a pilot now!!!"

"OUCH! Watch it, Slippy, you stepped on my tail feathers!"

"Sorry, Falco."

Fox put on his Cornerian Academy Ace Pilot Medal and smiled, tears filling his eyes.

He ran towards his dad and gave him a crushing hug.

Leon looked at Wolf. "Well, at least you won't compete with him now."

Wolf rolled his eyes. "Just because we're out of school doesn't change how I see him. Besides, he knew he was going to graduate. His eyes totally gave it away."

"Falco Lombardi!"

Falco casually walked towards the stand winking at Katt on his way up. She looked away as if she didn't notice, but her cheeks were still pink.

"Flight Maneuvering: 95.79%. Ship Offense: 90.57%. Technology Method: 70.11%. Assault Mode: 81.99%. You have passed all boards and are now eligible to join the Cornerian Army. You are now a graduate. Congratulations."

Falco grabbed his medal and showed it to the crowd. The crowd applauded happily.

R.O.B. scanned the boards again. "It appears we have a new Ace Pilot Record. You have broken the academy record."

"Yeah!" yelled Falco with excitement.

"Wolf O'Donnell!"

The room became quiet as Wolf sighed and walked slowly to the stand, as if he wasn't in the mood to hurry this up.

R.O.B. looked down. "Flight Maneuvering: 121.97%. Ship Offense: 99.99%. Technology Method: 70.01%. Assault Mode: 100.99%. You have passed all boards and are now eligible to join the Cornerian Army. You are now a graduate. Congratulations."

The crowd cheered joyfully to see their star pilot accept his medal. Wolf's expression gave nothing away to ruin his cool, but it was no mistake that he shone with pride.

"Wait. New polls entering….." R.O.B. beeped surpisedly. "Wolf has not only the Ace Pilot Record, but the Master Ship Offender and Ace Assault Combatant as well. Assistant-Lieutenant O'Donnell, you are the first student in history to achieve 3 records!"

The crowd stood up and cheered madly.

Wolf was shocked. _No way._

Peppy bestowed a second, shining Cornerian Badge of Achievement to him.

Wolf looked at the crowd completely aghast. _Wow. I really did do it._

"SPEECH! SPEECH!"

"Um, okay." He stood over to the sound accelerator phone cord.

"Uh, I'm really surprised! I knew I was good, but this---This is overwhelming. I'd like to thank my best friend in the Lylat System, Leon—"(Leon looked sown, his scales turning red)—"and the rest of you. I guess I did pretty okay for a guy who uses his S.H.A.F.T."

The crowd laughed loudly.

"I guess, I hope I'm an inspiration for some of the cadets, and well—I'm ready to get into the cockpit of fighter and kick some Venomian ass!"

The crowd cheered even harder, as Peppy and Pigma clapped for the new graduate. James, however, was watching Wolf very sternly.

The graduates in the crowd welcomed Wolf with pats on the back and handshakes of approval.

"Man, Wolf, you're the man!"

"You're like a legend now!"

"If we pick sides in the army, I'm so goin' on yours!"

Falco came. "Dude, you're gonna own Venom when you fight. You beat me, but there's no way you'll beat me out there, fuzz-ball!"

Wolf grinned. "We'll see, feather-ass."

Slippy was hopping up and down. "You're the coolest pilot ever, Wolf! You should join Star Fox!"

Wolf rolled his eyes. "No way. I'm making a solo team."

"Hey, Wolf," said a somewhat luscious voice. Wolf turned to see Katt waving with some other hot-looking girls. "Hope you don't plan on kicking ass all by yourself. You could use some help." She winked.

Wolf's face became warm. "Oh." He cleared his throat nervously. "Um…thanks, Katt."

Her long tail entwined around his big bushy one. "I knew you were that type of man. Come to my dorm if you're in the mood to talk. I'll bet you're not so bad behind closed doors." As she walked past him, her hand brushed his seductively.

The crowd went "Oooooooh."

Falco ran after Katt angrily. "Hey, Katt! What was that all about?!"

_Well, that's a territory I'll cross when I get there. But for now…_

He ran up to Leon with a huge hug. "We did it, buddy."

Leon said "Yeah. I just got my results. We're graduates now! And how 'bout that record breaking? You never told me you were that good!"

"I assumed you guessed already." He laughed.

"Congratz, Wolf," Said a quiet voice behind him. Wolf turned to see Fox standing by. "That really is an achievement." He held out his hand.

Wolf looked for a moment, and held out his hand, but withdrew it.

"Too slow! Ha, yeah, thanks, Fox."

He walked by him and headed with the other graduates to the hall leading to the Lylat Metro Cruisers that would take them to the Cornerian Army Headqaurters. Some students were hurrying to their dorms to grab what they could take with them.

"Just where do you think you're going, Wolf?"

James was standing nearby, arms crossed, looking dead serious.

"To the graduate Metro, where do you think I'm going?"

"You haven't graduated, Wolf."

The room was silent. The few remaining students that hadn't left yet looked around in surprise.

Wolf narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, you don't have what it takes to go to the army. You haven't learned the right things to join."

"What the hell are you talking about? I'm the best student the Academy has to offer! I've broken the ties that no student has even touched! Even you haven't scored that high! You're the last person to tell me I can't go!"

"You're still cocky, hot-headed, and believe it or not, you still don't know how to fight."

Wolf stared. "And I guess you're saying I don't deserve this award either."

James nodded. "That's right."

Wolf laughed darkly. "Why don't we settle this then, hot-shot? You say I can't fight?" He flexed his claws dangerously.

James glared behind the lens of his sunglasses. "You dare---"

"James, please." Peppy walked over. "You're just as stubborn as the boy. He deserved those awards because he earned them."

James growled angrily. "He doesn't have what it takes! He's still the immature kid he was when he first arrived! In my opinion, he should start from scratch, until he learns to stop relying on his strength and start trusting his instincts!"

Now Wolf was in a real rage. "So that's what this is all about?"

Pigma snorted. "I hate to admit it, Jimbo, but let's face it, you have been on this kid's neck."

James looked like he could've turned Pigma into salami right then and there. "That's because the boy is too arrogant. He doesn't deserve to graduate!"

"Why, because I earned it without your lame methods and stupid ways? I wouldn't have gotten any awards if I were anything like you!" Wolf yelled.

James glared. "Watch your attitude. You're forgetting who saved your ass from that hell-forsaken planet."

"Oh wait, I get it," said Wolf. "You despise me cause I'm not a retarded moron like your son."

_SLAM!_

Wolf's jaw spouted blood as Peppy and Pigma yelled _"James!"_

James looked like he was going to kill. His lipped curled back baring his small, sharp canines.

"You insolent, self-achieving _bastard!"_

Wolf got up, about to claw James to ribbons.

James sneered. "Just watch yourself, runt. No matter what you do, you're not graduating from this place this year. And if you try to sneak on, the Law Enforcers will arrest you."

Peppy and Pigma were completely awestruck. They had never seen James act like this, especially with a student.

Wolf said nothing. He turned and headed towards his dorm without saying a word, but inside, he was in total rage.

_I can't believe this….Damn James, damn that two-faced son of a bitch! Shit…Shit…SHIT!_

He walked past students with a look of such hate, that all who walked by picked up their pace.

_This isn't fair…everything I've ever worked for…._

_Everything I've ever dreamed of…_

_Gone…_

_All those years of training….those years of trying to beat Fox….all for NOTHING!_

He walked to his dorm door, punched the door button so hard that there was a hole where it once was, and slammed the door, causing the room to shake.

He paced around in hopelessness, circling in his tormented rage. He was lost in the terror of his denial.

_This can't happen….I won't let this happen…_

Tears of frustration filled his eyes.

_Look at this…I'm crying, god dammit! I'm better than this…_

Then, there was a knock on the door.

"Whoever it is, GO THE FUCK AWAY!"

"Wolf?"

Wolf turned violently to see who it was. "I DON'T---"

Leon was standing there. "Are you okay?"

Wolf glared angrily. "Of course I'm not, you idiot! Didn't you hear? I'm not allowed to join! And why? Because I scored higher than that bastard's star son!"

He kicked the desk so hard it flew on its side into the bed. SLAM!

"Look, you can just work another year…"

"_Another year?_ Leon, I'm fucking 18 years old! I don't _have_ another year! Cornerian Army requires training from age 18! By that time, I won't be able to recruit!"

"But---"

"Just go, Leon. I don't need your fake sympathy. You wouldn't know, would you? Being Mr. Graduate and all. Well you can just take that stupid scaly tail and _get the fuck out!"_

Leon looked down. "Oh. Um, sure. Whatever you say, buddy." He headed to the door.

Wolf's insides felt like the heavy engine of a battle ship. He had just yelled at his best friend, Leon, who had given him all the encouragement and friendship in the world these past few years.

"Leon, wait."

Leon turned. "What?"

Wolf sighed desperately. "I'm sorry, Leon. I'm just so frustrated. I… I didn't mean to--"

He sat on the floor. "I just—don't know what to do anymore." He put his face in his hands.

"It's okay. I don't mind. Better you than Peppy, ya know?"

Wolf gave a watery laugh. "I know."

Leon went to the door. "If you're not graduating, I'm not. I'm sorry, but, I guess Star Wolf isn't going to happen."

Wolf looked out the window.

_He's right. I was wrong about making a team. It isn't happening…._

He put his hand on the floor to get up, when it touched something smooth. He looked down.

It was the sapphire, which had fallen out of the broken desk drawer when it his the bed. Wolf picked it up and gazed at it.

_I completely forgot about this…About her….I can barely remember her name…_

He closed his eyes.

_I've let her down. I've let Leon down._

He opened his eyes automatically.

"Yes it is."

Leon spun around. "What?"

Wolf got up. "Pack your things, Leon. Take only what you can't afford to lose. Meet me at the docks in half an hour."

"But, we'll get arrested if we---"

"Not the Metro. The Arwing Dock."

Leon's eyes widened. "No way."

Wolf pocketed the sapphire. "If we don't go now, we never will."

"What happened to joining the army?"

Wolf looked at Leon. The look in his eyes was something Leon had never seen before. A look of determination and confidence. Such a sure look.

"We don't need to be in the army. They'll just shove us inexperienced on the battlefield to fight someone else's war. We have a team. The Star Wolf team."

Leon smiled. "That's more like it, Wolf. You're leader, I assume?"

"Only if you're my right hand wing."

Leon turned. "I'll get my stuff then."

Wolf went back to his desk. He opened the broken drawer and picked out the claw. His purple eyes reflected in its stainless surface.

_Just watch, James. Just watch me make a team._

_3 hours later…_

Leon looked around. Where was Wolf?

He was sitting on top of a cargo canister in the docking room, waiting for Wolf to appear. It was clear that Leon didn't want to stay on the station for long.

"Got everything?

Wolf was approaching, wearing a black leather jacket, a satchel bag, and the red flight scarf Leon had given him so many years ago from saving his back in a dangerous mission.

"Looking good," said Leon. "You've abandoned the uniform, I see."

Wolf scowled. "I'm not going out in open space wearing school-boy uniform."

Leon rolled his eyes. "C'mon, I've unlocked two of these. Hopefully James won't be missing them."

Wolf dropped his bag into the cockpit when he heard a voice behind him.

"Wolf?"

Wolf spun around and pulled out his G0-1N blaster pistol (Which he had stolen from the Academy Armory.)

It was Katt. Her eyes widened with fear at the blaster.

Wolf's eyebrow raised. "Katt?" He put away his blaster. "What do you want?"

"W-Where are you going?" she asked in a trembling tone.

Wolf looked serious. "I'm leaving, Katt. I know I'm breaking the law by taking these Arwings, but it's a risk I'm willing to take."

"Don't mind me, I'm just taking the bus," said Leon skeptically, putting away his switch-blade.

"But why?"

Wolf sighed. "Look, Katt, you've been nice and all, but I really have to organize my team now."

Katt put her hands on her hips. "Well I know that, since I'm taking my team soon too, but…you still are stealing!"

"Look, Katt. I've got to do this. It's who I am. I have a promise I need to keep."

Katt looked away. "All right. I won't blow your cover."

"C'mon, Katt, don't be like that. You'd do the same thing if you were in my place."

Katt looked up. "Yeah, you're probably right."

Wolf smiled. "Sorry I wasn't able to make it to your dorm."

Katt smiled flirtatiously. "I'll give you a chance some other day. Just go, get your team together. You can tell me some exciting stories next time we meet."

Wolf winked. "Maybe, if your boyfriend Falco isn't around."

Leon looked around. "C'mon, let's go."

Katt brushed her hand against Wolf's face. "Take care, Wolfie."

Wolf blushed. "Next time we meet, I'll tie your tail in a knot if you call me that again."

He turned and climbed into the ship, and left the hangar.

Leon's voice echoed through the intercom. "C'mon, Wolfie, time's a wasting!"

Wolf looked back at the academy, and all the memories he had shared with his friends., from the bully-fight with Andrew to the mournful trip from Cerinia.

He closed his eyes.

_I don't think I'll forget this place._

"Wolf?"

He opened his eyes.

"C'mon, Leon. Let's go."

He punched in the code. And with a loud humming noise, the booster glowed, glowed to eye-popping height.

And with a large ear-splitting roar, Wolf and Leon's Arwings took off into the distance.

_End of Chapter_

Phew, that was a long chapter! I hoped you like it! Now I can move on to the events leading to _Star Fox 64_! Until next time, young grasshoppers!


	9. Chapter 9

Yo, what-up, what-up, what-up?! Your favorite chocolate-addicted Hylian Shinigami Ninja Master here! First, I'd like to say thanks to all who have added me to Favorite Authors, Favorite Story list, or have subscribed for Story Alert. I feel so popular now!(lol.) But I'm sorry to say that I'm almost finished with this story. (Crowd Goes: Awwwwwwww…) But fear not! Just because this story's over, doesn't mean I won't make a sequel!

_Chapter 9: The Birth of Star Wolf_

Unknown Vessel, above Sector Y, 0 BLW

_The Lylat Wars are beginning. As heroes fall, villains triumph, and alliances a built and broken, the Planet Venom has declared war on the Lylat System. But even as Lieutenant Pepper searches for the commanding source of the Venomian Army, the identity of the mysterious Venomian leader is still unknown. Meanwhile, at Corneria, the Army's leading recruits, Fox McCloud, Falco Lombardi, and Slippy Toad, continue fighting in the name of justice. But in a concealed hangar aboard a Dreadnought-class heavy cruiser, new plans are formed by a back-then-unknown team…._

"How long does this guy plan to keep us waiting?"

"I don't know. I barely know who this guy is. He's just a rookie pilot, anyhow."

"Not from what I hear."

The door slid open as a figure in black tanker boots and a leather jacket appeared. Behind him was a similar-looking character, only his tail wasn't big and bushy like the first figures'.

"I imagine you guys have been waiting for me."

He shut the door, bolted it shut, and switched on the light.

His face was seen by all the people in the room. He was a gray wolf, tall and muscular, with deep purple eyes that looked like they could pierce even Venom's core.

"My name is Wolf O'Donnell, and this is my associate---"

The chameleon next to him coughed loudly.

_Ugh._

"Fine. My _right-wingman,_ Leon Powalski."

Leon grinned.

_Man. He's a bigger show-off than Falco!_

"As you are all aware, this cruiser is the carrier of the Star of Titania, the largest ruby in the Lylat System, and secretly-classified as the hidden power source of the super laser concealed in the design current Landmaster experiment under the direction of Captain Shears. But I'm making it my personal business that it never reaches Titania."

There were a number of laughs of agreement in the crowd. They consisted of heavy-set criminals and gangsters, armed to the teeth with blaster shotguns and grenade launchers. Wolf himself didn't appear to armed, which was his tactic of earning strong weakness influence over the pack.

"Look, you're all bounty hunters, jackals, and thugs. Most of you are hired muscle for the Roxia Organized Crime Syndicate in Sargasso. But I'm relying on you guys to create a diversion so I that I can take advantage of the cruiser's low security."

A jackal wearing combat visors and carrying a rocket launcher raised his hand. "I don't exactly trust you, kid. You're a rookie crime tool, and the rest of us are hard core buddies. I can't help but feel suspicious that you might just run off with the Star and leave us to take all the crap."

"Don't worry about that. This may be a capital-class cruiser, but the security is limited that of the protection of a museum item. About 80 soldiers are on board. Besides, all escape routes are crucial. The escape vessels are located in Hangar G, at the left-most interior of the ship. Remember, if there's no diversion, there's no ruby, which means _no share of the winnings._ And if you're worried about me running off, I'll take a group of you with me to go after the ruby when I reach the security area."

The jackal sat down, still unconvinced.

"All right. The hatch should open any second now. I've locked the escape ships' navicomputers to automatically head to a concealed hide-out, to meet up and claim your share."

_SHFFT! _The steel-bolted door unlocked.

"Move!" Wolf shouted. "Group A head north, Group B head south. Don't hesitate. Show them what you do best."

A marten cocked his sniper. "C'mon boys, let's go get some chumps."

The bounty hunters left the hangar, leaving Wolf and Leon alone.

_There aren't as many chumps on the ship as the ones who just walked in._

"Well, Leon. It's your time to shine."

Leon grinned. And he began disappearing, so that his grin was in mid-air for a second like the Chasseur Cat.

He went down the east tunnel. A big and brawny Rottweiler was guarding the doors. Suddenly, he began choking. He rose about a foot above the ground when there was a _SHLIHT! _sound, and blood sprang out of the dog's throat before he collapsed to the ground.

Leon appeared behind the body, wiping his switchblade on the dog's uniform.

Wolf ran up to the door and opened the screws holding the switch. He picked his claws through the wires, until he found the right one.

"Leon, could you---"

"Already ahead of you."

He took off his gloves and tugged on the wire. There was a small shock of electricity that bounced off harmlessly against his fingers.

_Good thing the scales on his hands are immune to electricity._

The door opened.

Some of the bounty hunters were making their way through the hall on the other side.

"Hey!" said one of them. "Where's the group you s---"

Wolf slammed the door. He ran to the nearest emergency switch and pulled it up.

"_INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT!" _the sirens blared through the speaker system.

Leon looked at him in surprise. "What're you---"

Wolf took out his blaster. "Look, what I didn't tell these guys is that this ship has 1,600 troops on it, all guarding the areas they're about to "invade". And if they try to escape, the location I've locked on the escape ships is _the Cornerian Army Station_."

Leon smiled. "You planned this whole thing?"

Wolf cocked his blaster. "Hey, I know better than to trust bounty hunters and Venomian thugs. Besides, by the looks of their faces, they were about to do the same to me. Now, let's get that ruby."

They ran to the Maximum Security Area and burst open the door.

"What the---"

There wasn't any security, any guards, but more importantly, _there was no ruby ._It was an empty room with a couple of crates. And standing in the middle of the room was…

"_Pigma?!"_

Pigma stood there, looking as smug as ever. "Hello, kid. It's been a while, huh?"

_Click._

Wolf had his blaster at Pigma's snout so fast, Pigma had barely any time to react. Leon had his blade out on his back.

"Okay, swine. You don't have much longer to live, but there's no way I'm letting you contact Star Fox before I kill you."

To Wolf's surprise, Pigma gave a snorty laugh. "Ha-ha! _Snort! _You haven't changed a bit. You think James and Peppy are _here?"_

Wolf narrowed his eyes. "Don't try to play me for a fool. Now where's the Star of Titania?"

Pigma sighed. "Look, the ruby isn't here. They already took it to Titania, and Shears is probably already finished building that 'Landmaster' or whatever. These soldiers on board are under the impression that it _is _on the ship. At least, I _hope _they bought that, after I told them."

Wolf relaxed his grip. "All right then, Pigma. If you aren't here to protect the ruby, and you aren't here to capture me," he raised his brow. "Why are you here?"

Pigma pulled something out of his jacket. Wolf kept his blaster raised, but instead of a weapon, Pigma pulled out a bottle of Sector XXX Whiskey.

"Peppy and James don't know I'm here. They think I died in a crash while investigating the destruction of another fleet. But that's not why I'm here." He took a swig of the bottle, and burped loudly, wrinkling his snout.

Wolf held his nose, as Pigma's nasty breath from the burp smacked against his face. "Go on."

Pigma dropped the usual lazy look he had, and replaced it with an unusually serious one. "Kid, the leader of the Venomian forces has just recently met up with me."

Wolf's fists clenched. "You mean the bastard who destroyed Cerinia?"

"No, no. That was beyond his control. You see he instructed that fleet to attack the academy without retreat. But he wasn't there with them at the time. You see, the Venbomian Commander issued a no-quarter, so that if the fleet would return to Venom, they would have to pay with their lives for the ships they had damaged."

Leon sat up interestedly.

"So James McCloud and his fighter force of students drove the fleet back with all the fire-power they could spare. Then James snuck on to the main Command Ship and set the coordinates of the fleet to a neighboring solar system. He destroyed the engines so that it would fly out of control. The new command ship was appointed to suck the life out of the nearest planet to provide energy for the damaged cruiser and other fighters. It used the stolen Planet Disruptor to do it. But the shot didn't work. The damaged ship plunged into the planet's surface and caused the core to erupt and the planet to explode. I don't even know how you survived the blast! The whole planet went nova!"

Wolf said nothing.

_So….that means….._

James_ is the one responsible for Cerinia's destruction…._

_For her…death…._

"James…was the one who…" Wolf started.

He got up suddenly and grabbed Pigma by the throat, causing the Sector XXX bottle to shatter on the floor out of his grasp.

"What the---"

"_You've been on his team this long and you never told me?!"_

Pigma choked out a few words. "Look---_Cough_---I---'ve---been---planning to---leave---since---I—_joined!" _His small black eyes bulged from their sockets.

"_What?"_

Pigma fell to the floor, gasping for breath.

Leon stood up. "You joined Star Fox in order to leave it?"

Pigma rubbed his throat. "Not really. I saw all these goody-goody acts Peppy and James were doing for low pay, and I wanted something…more…" He rubbed his hands.

"What?"

Pigma turned towards the end of the hall. "I'll show you. First we gotta get to Venom."

Wolf flinched. "V-Venom?"

He already had bad memories of that place that haunted him now, and he didn't want any more to do with that place.

"Don't worry. Just come."

Leon looked confused. "But the hangars aren't that way."

Pigma opened the door. "Leave your Arwings. I already have an escape pod ready. Besides, you won't need them where you're going."

Wolf looked confused. "Fine." But raised his blaster. "But walk ahead of me. And no sudden moves."

Pigma grinned. "Ha. Still short on trust, are we?"

"Not short of trust. Just on faith."

Wolf and Leon stepped into the pod.

_About an hour later, Venom_

As the escape pod landed, Wolf couldn't help but shiver slightly.

Leon looked concerned. "You okay, buddy?"

Wolf clenched his sweaty palms. "I'm fine."

Pigma sighed. "Yeah, I understand. Place like this can really give someone the heebie-jeebies, you know what I mean?" He grinned nervously.

Wolf looked out at the volcanic surface. "Yeah."

The pod landed on the volcanic soil. The three stepped out onto the planet's black-rock surface. Bubbling lava pits dotted the area, giving off a hot temperature.

Wolf inhaled a deep breath_. I guess this is how it feels to go to hell, leave, and come back again._

Leon looked around. "Wow. This place…it's just like you described it, man."

Pigma beckoned to them. "C'mon. No time to waste."

Wolf was feeling a strange energy, like he was standing inside of a nuclear waste zone. He had lived here for 13 years, and never felt this before.

_What's this?_

Every step he took after Pigma, the feeling got bigger and bigger.

"What's going on?" Wolf halted in his tracks.

Pigma smiled. "Ah, you feel it, don't you? He thought you would."

"Who?"

Pigma picked up the pace. "Questions later. Let's make a move on.

They went through a number of paths, tunnels, open areas and bridges over lava, until they reached their destination.

"Here we are."

_Whoa._

It was a huge palace, about as high as the academy, entirely made out of obsidian. The entrance was complete with electric crystal torches and two guards.

They pointed their blaster rifles at them automatically. "Oh, Master Dengar. We thought we saw you. Who're these guys?"

"They're, um," his eyes darted back and forth. "The _new recruits_."

The lizard guard grinned. "Oh, right then. Sergeant Tails will escort you."

There was a coughing sound, and Wolf and Leon covered their mouths.

Sergeant Tails frowned. "Something wrong?"

Wolf kept a straight face. "Oh, it's nothing."

_I wonder wear Sonic and Knuckles are… _

The doors opened.

The chamber ahead was a huge room, filled with monkeys and lizards. They were sitting at tables, eating, drinking, smoking, fighting or talking with on e another. They were all wearing Venomian Uniform.

Pigma led Wolf and Leon down the left hall. "Thanks, Sonic, but I'll take it from here."

"Thanks. I look forward to seeing you at cards tonight with the rest of us. Oh, and it's Tails."

_Like it makes a difference._

"Oh, my bad." Pigma led the two down the hall to an elevator, down to another room.

This room was intensely hot. There was steam and smoke everywhere, and there were obsidian tables as far as the eye could see. The tables were littered with papers, blue-prints, machine-parts, glowing chemicals, potions, crystals, and microscopes. In the corner were what looked like giant mechanical hands. On the nearest sat a series of long, jagged, wicked-looking blades.

At the front of the room, in front of a giant holographic data panel and a giant control panel was a figure in a massive white lab coat, working on a machine of some sort.

Pigma cleared his throat. "Ahem. They're here, sir."

The goggled figure turned and removed the surgical mask he had on.

His big, hairy hands removed the goggles to reveal a tan, leathery face, with gray hair lining the face's cheeks, forming a long beard. He had strange, pointed ears, and creepy orange eyes.

Wolf recognized him at once from the news data pad he had received years ago. "You're…you're…."

The ape smiled, revealing his large, sharp teeth. "Yes, I am Dr. Andross, formerly of the Cornerian Technology and Research Development, and formerly allied with L.A.S.A."

_The Lylat Air and Space Association? I thought Beltino was the head of that._

"Didn't you get, like banished, for like being, like, completely insane or something?" Wolf asked.

"Oh, you mean that misunderstanding with General Pepper, the newly elected General of the Cornerian Army? Water under the bridge, boy. Come, come, what's with that confused look?"

"Well Pigma says that you want something , so here I am, with my team."

Andross raised his eyebrows. "Your team?"

"Yeah. Star Wolf."

The ape removed his gloves. "Indeed. Well then, I've called you here because, mainly because I've watched you grow since Star Fox rescued you from here. You have become a skilled pilot and a strong warrior."

_Wait, what did he just say?_

"You've been watching me?"

"Oh yes. You are a quite interesting specimen. You're probably the only _canis lupus _in this part of the galaxy. But you have become quite an interest of mine. Tell me, were you able to feel the energy around you as you entered this place?"

Wolf froze_. How did he--?_

"Yes, I was able to. You see, you possess something called Inner Venomian Strength. About fifty years ago, an experiment of mine resulted in an explosion of tiny, chemical meteorites that expelled themselves across Lylat. They eventually hit the main directional planet in their path: Corneria. The meteorites dissolved into the planet's surface and blended with the planet's atmosphere. This inflicted the early-borns of that period, since the dissolved meteorites inflicted their DNA, causing them to possess a limited amount of power."

_Power?_

"Do you not remember? The day you encountered my escaped Mutated Tyrannosaurus?"

_Oh my God! That fire move! _

Wolf looked at his hands. "Am I the only one who--?"

Andross shook his head. "No, many creatures possess this power, but most are afraid to admit it. It requires training of emotions and reliance on instincts."

_Great. More James McCloud talk._

"Others, give in to their inner strength, but were forced to keep it a secret. The only ones I know are scattered students of the Academy."

He moved over to the other side of the lab. "And I was the cause of such power. I conducted more experiments, but nothing worked. When I finally needed a real subject, I was foiled by that despicable mutt, General Pepper!" he spat angrily.

"But your inner strength, Wolf, and the combined energetic pressure from this lab, will be enough to cause an energy wave that will sweep the Lylat System, and lure to me the ultimate test subject. And I, Andross, will take my place as the rightful Emperor of the Lylat System!"

Wolf couldn't believe what he was hearing. "That means…_you _were that experimenter that took all the creatures when I was a kid! _You're_ the reason there was no life on Venom, and that there_ isn't_ any!"

Andross said nothing. "Great accomplishments aren't reached without sacrifice."

"What kind of prices? Deaths of countless people? The destruction of entire planets? I haven't forgotten what happened on Cerinia." Wolf balled his fists.

Andross ignored him. "I only do what is necessary."

"Well I'm not going to help you do this. C'mon Leon, we're leaving."

_Click._

Wolf turned to see what the noise was, and saw the last two people he wanted to see.

James had his blaster out, and Peppy stood next to him.

"Don't move, Wolf. Now that I've caught you aiding the enemy, I have evidence to warrant your immediate arrest. And---"

He stopped and looked behind Wolf. His expression turned from sternness to shock.

"Andross?"

Andross gave a fanged grin. "Hello, James."

"Wh-? _You're _the leader of the Venomian Army?"

"What, surprised?"

Peppy looked even more shocked than James. "But—you were banished! Your projects and experiments were destroyed!"

"Apparently I adjusted here."

James cocked his blaster. "Enough. Your arrest will make Corneria a safer place. And you, Wolf, will await trial for treason."

Wolf brandished his claws. "If you think you're gonna drag me to prison, than you're wrong!"

Andross held his hand up. "Enough. Don't make this boy suffer. Not the way you did with Max."

James's eyebrows furrowed. "What are you talking about?"

Andross smiled darkly. "You know precisely what I mean, James."

Wolf turned from one face to the other. "What's going on? Who's Max?"

"Wolf, before I go on," said Andross. "Did you know I was the founder of the Cornerian Flight Academy?"

Wolf looked confused. "What? _You? _But you're a scientist!"

"And a pilot teacher. I taught all the senior members of the present-day Cornerian Military. Peppy Hare, General Pepper, even you, James. I have a passion for teaching, you know."

James nodded. "Yes, you do. You also have a passion for killing people in the insane experiments you conduct!"

Andross continued, ignoring James. "And furthermore, not all my students lived to this day. Your father was one of them."

Wolf looked stunned. "_My_ dad?"

James held his blaster up. "That's enough! Come, Andross, we have business with the Lylat Court, and your trial awaits!"

"Wait, what about my father?" asked Wolf instantly.

Andross looked hard at him. "He was a gifted pilot, not unlike yourself. But James didn't see him as a promising ally. They quarreled constantly, until one day…"

James held up his blaster frantically. "ENOUGH!"

Wolf spun around. "What happened? _What happened to him?"_

Andross spoke slowly. "He was killed in an explosion at the hands of the Star Fox team."

There was a silence in the room.

Wolf turned in a rage at James. "You killed him? You _bastard!"_

"I had no choice! He was a threat! He _needed_ to be destroyed!"

"A threat to Corneria, or a threat to you? Now it all makes sense. You've been demoting me ever since I started training, because of your case against my dad!"

James looked grim. "That's not true. Andross is trying to manipulate you. There isn't any proof of Max's death!"

Andross smiled nastily. "Oh, but there is. This was recovered from the wreckage of the vessel where Max died."

He held up half of what looked like a silver disk with a amethyst in its middle.

James's eyes widened. "Max's Reflector…"

Wolf had seen enough. "Wait, if you recognize it then… You are my dad's killer!"

James held his blaster up. "You've seen enough, Wolf. I think its best if you come."

Wolf turned and grabbed a long and jagged blade from the nearest test table.

"And I think it's best that you grab a weapon before I rip you to shreds!" He swung the blade mercilessly.

_CLANG! _

James reacted swiftly, with a double-bladed staff in his hands.

James removed his glasses, his gray eyes shining with a fierce might. "You refuse to cooperate, so die the death of one who gives into the past!"

Wolf growled loudly. He pushed all of his force on James, and whirled his blade around in a savage thrust. James blocked it expertly with his staff.

James leapt into the air and landed next to Wolf, just blade just missing Wolf's ear, but landed a kick to Wolf's jaw.

Wolf jabbed his blade behind him, only to be met with James's top staff-blade on his own jagged edge.

Wolf wrenched his blade clockwise so that James's staff would get caught in the jagged edge.

James pushed his weight on his staff and twirled his staff expertly, cutting and swinging at Wolf, sparks flying from the tension between the two weapons.

Suddenly, Wolf swung his blade upwards, causing James to lift up his staff for protection, and kicked James in the stomach and causing him to crash into some nearby testing tables.

_SMASH!_

James got up, some pieces of jagged glass in his fur from crashing into some test tubes.

He panted heavily. "Looks like you haven't learned a thing since the Academy, kid. You still aren't trusting in your instincts."

Wolf wiped blood from where James had kicked him. "Yeah, that's why you're the one with broken glass up your hide. Your old-time ways and ancient fighting moves aren't enough to save you from my vengeance. I promised they wouldn't save you, and I was right."

James shook his head. "You're even more reckless and stubborn than Max. Both of you could use fighting some lessons from my son. He isn't too bad with a staff, you know." He added proudly.

Scorned by James's taunts, Wolf spat "Yeah? Well, your loser of a son isn't here to save you!"

_CLANG! _

"You son of a bitch!" James roared. He swung his staff with rage and savagery, and Wolf was having a hard time blocking his savage blows.

James whirled his staff, struck Wolf in the face with the handle butt of his staff, and aimed the blade at his face.

There was a nasty ripping sound, as Wolf felt a rush of pain from the side of his face, and James kicked him to the ground, his blade at Wolf's neck.

Wolf felt a gush of blood drip sickly down his face. He glared with hate up at James.

"What are you waiting for, _murderer_, finish me off! Like you finished _him_ off!"

_PING!_

James dropped his staff. "No. I've wasted enough of my time on you. I've got a son to think about."

He turned to Andross. "Now, you---"

But Andross was on the other side of the room, holding some kind of switch, to a huge and bio-chemical vat of green liquid and strange strands of DNA beings.

James picked up his staff. "What're you---"

Andross smiled nastily. "Too late!"

_CRUMP! _The lever went down, as the vat's two attached orbs glowed with energy.

Andross leapt between the orbs and let out a wild laugh.

"Ha-ha! Now witness my true strength, Star Fox!"

"_No!" _ James ran towards him, but there was a huge blinding beam of green light, causing him to shield his eyes.

Wolf did the same, but felt the energy in the air double in size. He managed to open his eyes wide enough to see the mechanical hands in the corner of the room fly towards Andross like magnets.

The light went down, but strange green smoke lingered around the room and across the floor.

Wolf looked up and gaped at what he saw.

Andross's body was gone. His head remained, but it was so massive and giant that it had swelled to the size of an asteroid. On either side of him were the two mechanical hands.

"Observe, James McCloud!" He yelled in a raspy and completely different voice. "I am Andross, Emperor of Venom, and Future Ruler of the Lylat System!"

Wolf couldn't believe what he was seeing. Andross looked like some type of monster, his giant steel hands clicking open and shut. "What—What did you do?"

"I combined the Venomian energy of 20 Energy-active DNA strands from powerful Venomian-Energy sensitive Cornerians. And now, I am unstoppably full of power!"

James put up his staff. "But you won't last long. Pigma! Peppy! Get back to your Arwings and get in contact with the Cornerian Army."

Peppy nodded. "Will do. Come on, Pigma."

Pigma stayed where he was. "I don't think I will."

James stared in surprise. "What did you say?"

Pigma drew his blaster. "You heard me."

James held up his staff. "What's gotten into you, Pigma?"

"My wallet's gotten into me, that's what! I'm tired of doing goody-goody acts for low pay! I've joined Andross!"

Peppy was shocked. "_What did you say?"_

Pigma glared at him. "Don't pretend not to understand! Andross has made an unrefusable offer, and I'm gonna take it."

James looked more disappointed than Wolf had ever seen him in his whole life.

"So. You chose to stand with insanity and corruption, for the sake of wealth? I expected more from you."

Pigma cocked his blaster. "Sorry, old friend. The cheer of saved lives can't cover up the sound of coins jingling."

Peppy had tears in his eyes. "Why, Pigma? I can't believe what I'm hearing!"

Pigma grinned nastily. "Bye, Peppy."

SLAM!

Peppy engaged in a fist-fight with him, his tiny rabbit claws out.

Wolf looked around. Leon was unconscious from Andross's blast.

_Good. He's okay._

"Peppy, no! It's what he wants!" James yelled. But it was too late.

Pigma slammed Peppy's head onto a nearby table, causing chemicals to spill over his eyes.

"Argh!" He clasped his eyes.

"Peppy!" James yelled.

Pigma turned around. "Don't start yelling, James. You're next!"

James picked up his staff. "Not in your life!"

Wolf looked behind him. Andross unveiled something from under a grimy cloth. A massive laser, with familiar claws…

_The planet disruptor! _

James looked around. "Oh my God…Peppy, get down!"

Wolf leapt under a table.

_SHWOOOOMMM!!!!_

The blast hit the wall over some chemical vats. The vats exploded, sending flames around the room.

_Oh shit, Leon!_

He ran from under the table towards Leon, and lifted him up onto his back before the flames could engulf him.

_Gotcha, buddy._

He turned to see James fighting Andross with his staff, and Peppy still rubbing his red eyes.

"Fire?! Agh!" Pigma ran towards the exit.

"Come back and fight like the pitiful swine you are, traitor!" Peppy yelled after him.

James looked back. "Forget him, just run!"

Wolf didn't know what to do.

_I should help them, but…._

_No, he murdered my dad. I can't forgive him!_

_He should die like a dog!_

His rage got the better of Wolf as he dropped Leon under a table and grabbed his blade.

Andross huddled over towards his disruptor.

"Enough of this, Andross! Your palace is in ruins, your lab's burning! You've lost!"

Andross gave a terrible scowl. "Not yet. Lylat's mine!"

Peppy's eyes widened. "James, look out!"

But the disrupt missed. It's energy defied the flames, and was heading straight for…

_Oh shit!_

Wolf turned to run. But he slipped on some glass and cut his knee badly.

He limped like a helpless animal, before falling over in pain.

It was no use. The beam was coming…

_It's over. This is the end… _

SWOOOM.

Wolf shut his eyes. But nothing happened.

He looked up. There, standing over him, with a huge smoking hole in his chest, was James.

"No…" Wolf groaned.

James dropped his staff. "….for…you, Max…"

He collapsed.

Peppy ran towards him.

"Stay where you are, Peppy." James commanded. "Tell Fox…about my fate…and to trust in his instincts…."

Peppy tearfully nodded as he dodged more flames out the door.

"No, no, no!" screamed Wolf. "Why? _Why _did you protect me, you crazy, brave son of a bitch?"

Tears streamed down his face.

James smiled weakly. "At least…you care…"

"_Shut up!" _said Wolf in denial. "I…just hate to see that someone else killed you instead of me, God dammit!"

_Who are you fooling, Wolf? That's not the reason._

"Why…_Why_ did you?"

James closed his eyes. "You've gotta learn, kid…you gotta sacrifice yourself…even for your enemy…"

Wolf sobbed. "You crazy bastard…"

James smiled. "Your welcome, kid."

And then, Wolf felt James's breathing stop, as his head tilted back.

_No…Damn…_

He got up. He turned to Andross. "Happy now? You killed him you fucking ape!"

Andross said nothing. "It wasn't my intention, Wolf. James was a fine pilot. Almost like a son to me. I thought you wanted to kill him."

Wolf looked down. "I..did. But you took my vengeful victory away."

_Right…not._

Andross shook his head. "Is this how you want to die, Wolf? At my hands."

Wolf stood still. "No. I still have my team to think about."

Andross pursed his lips. "Ah, yes, your team. Well I'm sorry to say that your team isn't doing so well. A proper team needs ships, more members, support, and reputation. All of which you lack."

"What's that supposed to mean?" growled Wolf dangerous tone."I'm not gonna take bullshit from a half-burnt crisp circus monkey."

"The point is," Andross cut in irritably. "Is that I want to help you."

Wolf hesitated. "Help me?"

"Yes. I can provide all the means necessary to make Star Wolf a name to remember. Just think: Every pilot knowing and fearing your name, the power you can possess."

_That doesn't sound too bad. That's exactly what I want for my team._

Wolf narrowed his eyes. "What's in it for you? Why do you care about my team all of a sudden?"

Andross stroked his beard. "Well, I'm interested in appointing you to be in charge of an Elite Legion of my army."

"What, some kind of General?"

_I don't feel too nice being at Pepper's level. Authority doesn't suit too well with me._

Andross shook his head. "Oh no, not like that. I need an ally, not a recruit. Just join me, Wolf. I need an assurance of loyalty from a pilot of your skill."

Wolf looked at Leon's unconscious body. "Well, gramps, I don't work for free."

Andross rubbed his mechanical hands. "Of course not. Starting on your first assignment, you shall receive $500,000 in Lylat Currency."

"Wait!"

Wolf turned to see Pigma running toward him.

"Oh, good to see you, coward. Care to come up for an excuse for running off?"

Pigma panted heavily. "Look, with Peppy gone and James dead, a new Star Fox Team's gonna assemble. And I'm not just gonna watch him take all the glory. I want in. I can help your team."

Wolf sneered. "Thanks, Dengar, but I don't need a fat swine on my team."

"Wanna bet? Peppy is a master tactics maker. I'm the only one who can keep you and your team out of Star Fox's way."

_Hm. That is a good point. If I do start an alliance with Venom, Star Fox is gonna be a pain in the ass._

"Fine. But I decide your profit. And you better be a better pilot than I've heard, or else your tail's gonna be a shish-kabob on my claws."

Pigma shuddered. "Yeah, noted."

"Oh," said Andross. "One condition." He whispered it into Wolf's ear.

Wolf's eyes widened. "No way. Not even close to reality."

Andross's lip curled. "No deal, no support."

"That's blackmail."

"Even so, He's not my responsibility. I have to establish order here without him screwing things up."

Wolf rolled his eyes. "Sure, whatever."

_All that matters is that my team's assembeled. My promise is kept, and Leon and I will be living off of Andross's budget. Star Wolf has entered Lylat._

Andross pulled out a needle. "But there's one more thing…"

End


	10. Chapter 10

Okay. Saw _New Moon, _HATED IT! Too many random moments. There was that weird vision Alice has where Bella's a vampire and she's running through the forest with Edward (Seriously what the _hell _was up with that? It would've been hilarious if the _Chariots of Fire_ music was playing in that scene. LOL.)

Also, there was the ending line. "Marry me." WHAT THE HELL?! They just gave away the plot for the next movie! (Something about Bella being _pregnant?!) Shudder._

Anyway, here's the final installment to _Star Fox: The Rise of Star Wolf, _and the story doesn't start out from Wolf's perspective_._ ButI'd like to dedicate this chapter to GigaNerd17, an author who helped me throughout my times of writing. He's really been a ton of help and a good friend.

_Chapter 10 (Final Chapter): The Deadly Rivalry Begins_

_Macbeth, 0 BLW_

The _Arwing_ zoomed into the hangar of the weapon testing factory. It landed with elegance and ease, since the ship was a fully-equipped fighter, not an Academy testing simulator.

18-year-old Fox McCloud leapt out of the cockpit, wearing his favorite flight jacket and scarf. He pulled out his G0-1N blaster, modified for rapid-shot.

No sooner than when he leapt out of the cockpit of his Arwing had another Arwing landed next to his.

The pilot pulled off his sunglasses and leapt out.

"Fox, wait!"

Fox turned around.

"What is it, Falco?"

Falco ran up to Fox. "Look, forget this. This doesn't feel right. Anyway, Peppy said that he was _involved,_ not the killer of James."

"Involved's good enough for me."

"Fox---"

Fox turned his angry green eyes to Falco. "He and Dad were at each other for years at the Academy. You didn't see them fight. You didn't see what he's capable of doing!"

_He has to be the killer._ Fox thought. _Who else would?_

He ran through the doors and the heat from the factory machines made Fox sweat.

He pushed through the doors and passed by two Venomian Lizards. They didn't have time to react as both Fox and Falco rushed by them.

They burst through a door, and halted.

This room was different then all the others. It was an elegant hall of levels and balconies, made of gray and turquoise marble.

In the center of the room stood two monkeys, wearing Venomian uniforms.

The two monkeys looked at Fox and Falco with great surprise, as if not expecting any life as deep as Macbeth's Inner Core.

Fox held up his blaster. "Where is he?"

Falco looked troubled. "Look, Fox, just drop it and let's get the hell out of this place."

The monkeys changed shape for a second, glitched, and faded back into their holographic panels.

_Wh-? _Fox thought in surprise.

There was the sound of all the massive doors slamming shut, and the _SHFFSH! _of a door opening behind him.

"I'm not letting you leave this place alive, Star Fox," echoed a deep and menacing voice.

Fox turned to see the shadowy figure of a teenaged wolf, wearing a black leather jacket, tanker boots, and a metal belt holding long, curved, steel claw. He wore a single leather gauntlet.

Fox glared. "Wolf O'Donnell."

Wolf stepped forward into the light. As his face became visible, Fox looked taken aback.

Wolf was no longer the mysterious and dark student he had seen before. He had an ugly scar under his right eye, and if that weren't enough, his eyelids were rimmed with what looked like black liner.

Wolf had a look of deep hate on his face that Fox had never seen before.

_He sees me differently from last time._ Wolf thought. _Good._

Fox held his blaster high. "I've been looking for you, Wolf."

"Have you? Strange coincidence. So have I."

Fox shook his head. "Why, Wolf? What made you kill my father?"

"He was an arrogant fool," Wolf sneered. "He got himself killed, and good riddance."

_CLANG._

Fox had pulled out his long-sword and attempted to hack at Wolf, but he was blocked by Wolf's rex claw.

Fox bared his teeth angrily. "You despicable bastard! I should gut you and send you to hell to rot!"

Wolf taunted. "Oh, really? That's a bit dark for you. Are you really a man to kill me?"

Fox pushed hard on his sword. "More of a man than you are."

"Then prove it."

He stepped back and swept back his hand revealing a long and curved blade jutting out of a hidden compartment on the back of his gauntleted hand. _Shing!_

Wolf grinned tauntingly. "You always were an easier opponent back at school, Fox."

"I was, and you know it!"

"But we're outside of school, out in the real world, on a planet miles from Corneria. No boundaries, no rules. And more importantly, no daddy to protect you."

_CLANG!_

Fox swung his blade with such might, that a small crack began to form at the base of his sword.

Falco put up his fists. "Don't think you'll be fighting just one opponent, Wolf."

"Just what I need. Two pieces of meat for the slaughter."

He flung off his jacket and whirled his two blades with skilled expertise.

Falco and Fox did the same, but Fox tightened his scarf, and Falco equipped his fingerless unarmed accuracy gloves.

"Ready to end this, Wolf?"

"I dunno. You're the one in a hurry to get to your dad on the other end."

Fox ran towards Wolf brandishing his long-sword, with Falco beside him. Wolf charged, blades flailing in a deadly sweep.

Wolf crossed both his blades on to Fox's sword and pushed him back. Falco slammed a punch into Wolf's neck, as he aimed a kick for his head. Wolf leapt and kicked Falco straight into his beak with the butt of his boot heel, and landed on the ground swiftly.

Falco spat out some blood._ Phew. This guy isn't kidding around, is he?_

Fox on the other hand wasn't losing too much. He gained and lost balance on Wolf's weight as he pressed on studying his enemy's movements, but no openings came up.

Wolf finally got tired of fighting two enemies and kicked Falco to the ground next to the door. His head hit the wall switch, and the door opened up.

Fox, now in a real rage from seeing his friend hurt, yelled "Huaah!" and brought down his blade with immense force, shaking the ground.

_Yes,_ Wolf thought. _Get angry. Unlatch the lock on your hate. Become a nightmare! Make yourself a challenge to me!_

Fox whirled his sword around Wolf's short blade and managed to cut his wrist slightly.

Wolf ignored the the brief brush of pain and growled fiercely. He swept his blade up, knocking Fox's sword upwards out of his hands and slammed his elbow into Fox's chest. He landed a rushing punch into his face, causing him to fall backwards.

Wolf laughed triumphantly. _"Ha!"_

Fox's green eyes gleamed dangerously as he wiped blood from his jaw.

Wolf blinked and suddenly, Fox turned a turqouoise blue, and the next second, Wolf felt huge jut in chest.

_SLAM!!!_

Wolf fell on his back onto the ground with a rough thud from the marble floor.

Fox was a yard away behind him, on his knee in a proposed position.

Wolf didn't have a lot of time to get up before Fox forced him to a corner, his sword at his throat.

Wolf let out a low, dangerous laugh. "Fox Illusion. Impressive. Not a lot like your dad's, but close. You also have Inner Power."

Fox glared at him. "I'm not as weak as you think, Wolf."

"You'll learn , Fox, that I don't fall for just fall for a small Flash. _I plan ahead."_

Fox's eyes widened. "Wh--?"

But he realized too late. The ground rumbled as Wolf raised his arms, clenched his fists, and stomped his foot down, as flames closed around the corner.

"FIIIIRRRRE, _WOOLFFF!"_

Fox and Wolf shot up in their air, a fiery wave emitted above Wolf's head and fist, and a fiery column blazing in his wake. Just as Fox was about to react, Wolf slammed down a kick, sending Fox down in to the marble floor.

_SSSMAASHH!_

Rubble and marble shot everywhere, as Fox's body crashed into the floor. Wolf landed swiftly onto the ground, and let out a victorious laugh.

"You can't hope to beat me, Fox! Out of the two of us, I reign with strength!"

"You mean the _three_ of us."

Wolf looked around, as Falco walked forward, and helped Fox out of the smoking crater in to ground.

Wolf frowned. "Don't get over your heads, Star Fox. I can kill you just as easily with both of you."

Falco brandished his fists. "We'll see about that, fuzz ball."

Wolf scowled at hearing Falco's taunting Academy nickname for him. "Shitting your mouth isn't gonna help you, here, Lombardi."

Falco pushed Wolf into the other room and slammed his fists at every opening he could see.

Wolf walked backwards, blocking all blows with his claw and blade.

Fox picked up his sword, its top half melted from the fire move, and ran after them.

The room that they had moved into wasn't factory-like at all. It was a massive dome-like room, the size of the Palace of Venom. It was covered by steel balconies and floors, and hovering over a never-ending chasm. The floor they were fighting on was a huge circular panel, hovering hundreds of feet above the chasm.

Wolf viciously whirled his blades up and down, successfully cutting Falco on the shoulder. Falco responded by kicking Wolf into the head and crotch.

_Christ, dammit!_ Wolf screamed inside.

Falco aimed a punch into his chest. As he did so, he clenched hand painfully after successfully cracking his knuckle on Wolf's steel abs.

_Jesus Christ!_ Falco thought painfully. _What does this guy do with his time? Wrestle asteroids?!_

Wolf slammed his mighty fist straight into Falco's beak. The impact caused Falco to stumble, slightly. As Wolf picked up one of the dropped blades, Falco turned and made a dash for the next room.

"Where are you off to, feather-ass? Hoping to get help?" mocked Wolf. He charged after him.

But as he entered the next room, he realized that the it was the room with the giant floating panel.

Wolf was entering and jumped onto the edge, when Falco leapt into the air. He plunged down and behind him, two blue versions of him, in the same position, followed.

He plunged into the floor with a _SLAM!!!_

Wolf lost his balance, lost grip on his Claw, as the hovering panel tilted upwards.

_Oh shit!_

Wolf slid downward, and Falco did a backflip into the air, landing on the top of the panel.

Wolf dug his claws into the panel's surface desperately, but they just skidded harmlessly, as sparks flew from scratching the panel.

Down he went, down into the darkness…..

Falco landed swiftly back on to the floor leading to the opposite room.

Fox ran towards from the door across the room, but halted as he saw the tipped panel.

"What happened?"

Falco dusted his hands. "Unless he sprouts wings in the next two milliseconds, he's dead."

Fox looked down into the chasm with disbelief.

Then, there was a rumbling sound, as the panel shook into motion again.

Falco stepped on the panel. "What the hell?"

_SHWOOOMM!!!!!!_

There was a blinding purple light as Fox blinked, and Falco was swept up by the light up into the air.

"You thought you two were the only one capable of Flashing? _Not a chance!"_

Wolf was about twenty feet into the air and spun Falco around before slamming his fist down onto him, sending him down like a meteor on to the panel.

_FWAM!!!!_

The panel flipped, sending Falco back up, and Wolf grabbed him by the throat and forced his head through the ceiling. CRASH!

"_Falco!"_ screamed Fox.

But Falco was falling deeper, but successfully grabbed onto the top edge of the panel. He pushed all his weight onto the edge and slid down to get to the other door.

Wolf back flipped and dived, landing swiftly into the doorway.

Fox watched helplessly, since the panel was vertically moving up. The battle between Falco and Wolf faded from view as the panel slowly halted and blocked his view. In the middle of the panel, was Wolf's Claw, which had buried itself into the panel's surface after it flew out of Wolf's hand.

Wolf and Falco were spinning and whirling a dance of destruction, as their Inner Power raised up and down with triumph and rage.

Finally, Wolf and Falco, who had grabbed a pipe from the ceiling he had previously plunged into, and crashed their weapons, but both forces caused both to drive their weapon against each other. They pressed hard on their weapons, attempting to push each others' weight back. Sparks flew as they circled each other, weapons closed in. The lights from the lamps were blowing fuses left and right around them from the intense pressure of their Inner Power. Even the glowing power charging station dimmed slightly.

"It's over, Falco. You can't beat a Team leader."

Falco narrowed his blue eyes. "Star Wolf? You were actually serious about that in school?"

"You bet I am."

"Well, it doesn't matter. Your path ends here. You're gonna die like the cowardly dog you are with the rest of your team!"

_He dares to threaten Leon and my team…._

_You son of a bitch! No one calls Star Wolf a coward!_

He raised his blade and swung hard onto Falco's pipe, and jutted the butt of his long knife onto the pipe, causing it to tilt and put its heavy end towards the floor and nearly tumbling out of Falco's hand. Wolf then flung a vicious punch at Falco's face causing him to slide across the black marble floor.

He let out a vicious snarl. "_Huah!"_ And with that he picked up Falco by the collar and slammed his head into the wall.

Falco got up feebly, and attempted to block some of Wolf's blows and kicks.

Wolf bared his teeth, as he threw down his knife, which buried itself into the floor, and retracted his wicked-looking claws.

Falco's eyes widened with fear. He blocked with his protective-gloved blocking the clawed swipes. But Wolf was too quick. He slammed his wrists upwards against Falco's, pushing out of the way of his face and—

_SWIPE!_

Falco yelled in agony, as blood poured from the three claw-marks on his face. He was about to collapse, but Wolf wasn't done. He kicked him savagely in the chest. Falco staggered back and bumped his back into the sizzling power charging cell in the middle of the room.

Wolf flicked the toe of his boot on the hilt of his knife in the ground, which flipped up and landed neatly in his hand.

Falco's bruised up eyes grew big.

Wolf flung his dagger at him, but instead of stabbing his face, it plunged itself into the surface of the power cell. Electric surges erupted from its core as it wrapped around the blade and Falco's body…

Falco screamed in pain, as the electricity shot up his body, causing some of his feathers to ignite, before it ended instantly. Saliva dripped from Falco's scarred beak as his eyes rolled up and he fell to the ground.

Wolf panted for a long time. He was still engulfed with Falco's burning taunt, but he was out of energy.

_I defeated him…I think…._

Then he heard Falco groan weakly.

_Apparently not._

He picked up his smoking knife and walked towards Falco.

"Get up."

No response.

"I said get up!" He grabbed Falcon by the collar, blade raised.

Falco's eyes blinked feebly, before rolling back into his head.

Wolf panted suddenly. He realized that every bone he had was aching. He had never fought so savagely before.

_This is…really strange…I..can't remember fighting like this in the past…._

_Falco…dead?_

_No…he's tougher than that…_

_Maybe…I _am_ fighting on rage instead of strength…_

_Even though..It was Fox I wanted dead…_

_I couldn't get enough of seeing him weak…_

Wolf's eyes widened.

_What happened to me?_

_I've almost killed Falco…In a fight with Fox…_

_This is too intense even for me._

_I'm…not like that. This isn't Falco's fight. He shouldn't die._

He slowly released his grip on Falco.

_Star Fox isn't my opponent. Just Fox himself. I shouldn't bring them in on a fight like this… _

Fox had somehow made it into the chamber. He saw huge black scorching mark around the inner charging station.

And next to it, on the ground, was…

_Falco!_ He thought. _He's dead!_

He looked over at Wolf. _You._

_You killed him!_ Tears streamed down his face. _I'LL KILL YOU!!!!!!_

Fox could never explain what happened afterwards. All of his vision turned red-rimmed, and he charged at Wolf, wielding Wolf's dropped Claw.

Meanwhile, Wolf, back turned and completely unaware Fox was there, dropped the knife he was holding.

_Done with the slaughter?_ Thought Fox enraged. _Not till I KILL YOU!!!!_

But Wolf's thoughts were: _It's over. I don't even have the energy to fight Fox, let alone kill him. My team needs me. This day's battle is done._

Fox's steps echoed across the chamber, as time seemed to slow down. Wolf, still facing Falco's body, turned the left side of his face.

He didn't have time to see who was running towards him.

Wolf remembered this moment for the rest of his life. It haunted him every time he passed his reflection…

First there was a blinding shine of a blade, a terrible yell, and a dark shape approaching his vison…

_SLLLAAASHH!!!_

Pain exploded on the whole of the left side of Wolf's face, as if someone had ripped out his eye and ripped off all the flesh around it and plunged a white-hot chunk of metal in the socket.

"_**!!!!!!!"**_

His blood-curdling scream of agony shook the walls, as he fell to his knees. Blood gushed from his eye as he clasped the spot with his hands. He fell to all for like a wounded wild beast.

Fox froze, the redness out of his eyes, the rage disappearing instantly.

_What have I---_

He looked over to Falco, who managed to open his eyelid half-way before going out cold again.

_Falco's alive?!_ He thought, mixed between relief and horror. I've…lashed at _Wolf…over nothing…_

_Clang! _The bloody Claw dropped a foot away from Wolf.

_He's practically dying of pain because of me!_

_Oh, Wolf! I…I didn't…_

He began to weep, as he reached out his hand toward him---

"YOU BASTARD!" he screamed painfully. "YOU HELL-SPAWNED SON OF A W****! _WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME?!?!"_ His blood mixed with tears of pain and rage on the floor.

"Wolf—I—d---"

"_YOU SNIVELING, GOD-DAMNED, FUCKING BASTARD! LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO ME!!! I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU! I SWEAR----"_

He grabbed his dripping Claw. He limped in pain towards a tear-stricken Fox, clutching the bleeding eye with his left hand…

"_I'LL KILL YOU!" _

_Crash!_

Wolf turned, his sight dimming, as the panel from the other slammed down, and a cluster of Cornerian Dog Soldiers burst in, carrying blaster rifles. The familiar red-uniformed form of General Pepper entered the room, an advanced Commando pistol in his hand.

"We got a distress signal from here. There's a ton of activity drawing here---"

He stopped. He looked and saw Wolf walking towards Fox, with his bloody Claw, walking from where Falco's body lay…

"Oh my God. He's killed Pilot Lombardi! Quick, take the murderer down!"

Wolf, weak with pain, couldn't resist the heavy-built hands of the soldiers as they grabbed him brutally and forced his face to the wall, and hand-cuffed him with laser-cuffs.

"He's breathing, sir. But he's been maimed brutally sir. He'll be in a cast for half a year, sir!"

Pepper glared hatefully at Wolf. "You know what you've done, boy? You've maimed a member of a pilot team."

He cocked his head. "You're a Venomian, aren't you? Check his pockets, men!"

They rummaged roughly through his jacket to find Venomian papers, their hands on Wolf's mouth.

A Dog soldier scanned them. "This is permission from Andross to form a team aiding the Venomian army!"

"You know what the penalty is for severely maiming or injuring a member of another's pilot Team is? Execution, of you and the rest of your team."

_They'll kill Leon! No!_

His blurry view turned to Fox_. Say something! I wasn't trying to kill him! You had a part in this two!_

This was precisely on Fox's mind. _If I help Wolf, then, I'll be tried too! I'd doom all of my friends! They'd die too! _

And now Fox felt sick about the horrible choice he had to make. His friends or proving Wolf's innocence….

He turned to Falco. He thought about them as kids, laughing and shouting, pretending they were Arwings with Slippy, while Peppy would always laugh along with them….

"Fox?" Pepper asked. "This mongrel, did he proceed on killing Lombardi before you showed up? And what happened to his eye."

Wolf looked desperately at Fox. _C'mon, say it! Please!_

Fox looked down.

Please Fox!

He looked up blinking back tears. "W-Will someone…get a medic….I…don't know what he's capable of doing…almost….Falco…"

_NO! What are you doing?! Help me! Please!_

Pepper nodded. "Understood." He grabbed Wolf by the scruff. "Come along, now. You've got a bit to answer for."

Wolf turned to see Fox, his eyes burning with hate.

_I hate you, Fox. I HATE YOU!_

His muffled yells of rage were covered up by the Soldiers' gloves, as the Soldiers dragged him away….

Fox kneeled next to Falco. Weeping, he could only think_ I'm sorry, Wolf. I'm so sorry!_

And he put his face in his hands and wept, as Wolf, bleeding and soon to die, was dragged away.

_Lylat Supreme Court Building, orbiting Corneria, some painful hours later_

"Wolf O'Donnell. Be it known that you have been charged, tried and convicted for your willful commission of a crime against the Lylat System, said crime being single but sinister in nature. The crime most egregious to be cited herewith… Intentionally maiming a member of the Star Fox Team in self-offense, and therefore pledging service to the forces of the enemy planet of Venom and the command of now confirmed leader of the Venomian Army, Emperor Andross. And for said crime, you have been sentenced to be, on this night, strapped to an asteroid, and be set for the direction of the sun, to burn in your own guilt and loneliness. May God have mercy on your soul."

These words of "justice" echoed in Wolf's ears, as he stood, kneeling, in the center of the steel and marble courtroom, with high court tables, a huge crowd, and a large take-off barrier shield that normally ships would go through to enter space, but to serve as a gateway for his execution.

Wolf had his hands behind his back by the two guards behind him, strapped by his feet in the center of the room by laser-weights.

The old Labrador Judge looked up from his holographic summon speech. "Any last words from the convicted?"

Wolf said nothing.

"All right." The Judge looked to the crowd. "Any words from the bystanders?"

"Yes." Peppy stood up. "Wolf," he started.

Wolf looked up with his good right eye, since the left had been bandaged up.

"I…I know you look at Star Fox with anger, but I hope that, in your solitude, you may sway from your dark heart. I am sorry that you should die this day. You were the Academy's greatest student, and you would've become a fine pilot and an even tougher fighter. I didn't know your father, but, I hope that he is proud of what you've committed yourself to."

More silence.

The judge looked at the crowd. "Anything else?"

Fox, who was sitting in the front row, closest to where Wolf was standing, said nothing_. I have to do nothing_ he thought. _For Falco, for everyone._

He shut his eyes to avoid Wolf's intensely hateful gaze.

_I'm sorry._

"The court finds the accused guilty," said Pepper in a merciless tone. "Take him away."

The two guards undid the laser-weights tied to Wolf's legs, and escorted him away. Wolf's burning gaze followed Fox as he passed him.

Suddenly, he pulled his arm free away from the firm grip of the two guards.

"He's loose!" They shouted, rifles up. _"Gun him down!"_

He grabbed Fox's collar, so his face was an inch from his own.

"Wait!" Peppy shouted. "Let him be."

Pepper looked surprised. He signaled his guards to lower their weapons.

Fox stared painfully into Wolf's eye. It burned with an intense and unwavering streak of hate, so hard that it made Fox sweat with fear and pity.

"You think this is over, Fox?" He spoke in a low and menacing whisper. _"It's just beginning."_

His claws dug into his neck, so that crimson lined the white collar of his flight jacket.

"What you've done to me, to my life…it will follow you for the rest of your life! You think you're so noble and just, with your team and your father's name…but you can't hide. You've taken everything from me," he said, tears of anger running down his cheeks, even from his bandaged eye. _"Everything!_

"My team's innocence, my eye,….even my freedom of life. Every breath I breathe is unjust, because of _you! _I will _never _forgive you for what you've done to me. You hold your team so close as if it was your own family! But they can't protect you. _Nothing_ can protect you from my vengeance! I will find you, Fox, and when I do, I will rip your heart in half, by purging the Lylat System of Star Fox for good. The great team that James had started, I'm going to finish! And when your team's corpses litter the far reaches of fate, when I burn everything you love, I promise you, _I will kill you,_ slowly and painfully!"

Fox's eyes widened with fear.

Wolf released his grip and grabbed one of the guard's rifles.

"He's got a weapon! _Blast him!"_ barked Pepper.

Laser shots flew by Wolf's tall ears, but he dived and rolled to the entrance, and shot the switch for the shield-barrier.

"No!" screamed Pepper.

_SHZAP!_

The barrier shield to open space shut off, causing the space vacuum to suck fragments of glass and bits of machinery. Everybody clung hard to their seats, but a few soldiers lost grip and got caught in the zero-gravity air suction.

Wolf kept his clawed grip on the entrance switch. As winds brushed through his fur he kept his furious stare of rage on Fox for a last time, before yelling:

"If you manage to survive, pray to God that you're a sensitive-living species. Because if not, then your screams will be echo through every corner of the Lylat System, and you shall die a thousand times before I'm done with you! We WILL meet again!"

And with that he wrenched oepn the steel-bound door, slammed it and ran.

Pepper managed to switch off the air-space switch, but there weren't a lot of soldiers left when he did.

"All of you! Summon the rest of your subordinates and alert all the Captains! Wolf O'Donnell has escaped. You," he said, pointing to a sergeant greyhound. "Put me in contact with Shears."

"Yes sir."

"Shears!" He barked in the comm recorder. "What's the situation with the rest of them?!"

"They've escaped, sir," said a gruff voice on the comm. "They were in custody, but they're gone, now."

Pepper slammed his fist on a nearby table. "Dammit! Scramble all available reinforcements! I want every recruit in their ships hunting for them! But above all, get me that Wolf guy."

Peppy helped Fox up.

Fox looked at the doorway where Wolf had previously stood.

_Oh, Wolf. You looked at me with such hate. I never meant that…_

_But I had to. My team's life was at stake. I couldn't abandon them…_

_I guess we were never meant to be allies after all….or friends…._

He wiped his tears.

_But I can't let you touch my team. I'll die before I see them perish. And if I have to fight you in order to defend them…_

He clenched his fists.

_Then I'll have to take you down…_

_End of Chapter _

**WAIT! Don't go! There's more below…**

_Epilogue…_

_Roxias Criminal Yacht, Unknown Space, 0 BLW (about one month later)_

Jaurren placed his wad of cash on the table. _Ahh…The sweet smell of profit…_

"Sir."

_Argh._

He got up from his rotating chair, wrinkling his long, brown overcoat. "What?"

A gray monkey soldier with pointed ears wearing a red visor stood in front of his desk.

"All the cargo has been secured from the raided freighter's cargo hold."

The liger Crime Boss rubbed his hands greedily. "Excellent. What are the contents?"

"About 1100 tons of Macbethan Weapon Technology, freshly-shipped, by the looks of it. That's all."

Jaurren looked irritated. "That's it?! You idiot, you came all the way from the bridge just to tell me that? Why didn't you just alert me from the comm?!"

"Because we have prisoners, sir. Cornerian soldiers. They're badly wounded, but still alive. What do we do with them?"

I don't have any uses for prisoners. "Slit their throats and cast their bodies into open space."

The monkey's face exposed completely shock. "Sir?"

"Kill them all. They should have better sense than to cross my territory. Now get out of my sight."

The soldier said nothing. He stood there for a long time before saying "Yes, sir."

He turned and marched out of the lounge.

_Hmph. About time he left. Now I can admire my wealth undisturbed…_

Suddenly, all the lights went out in the room. The energy in the contol panels around the room faded, and the humming of the heat generator shut off.

_What the hell?_

He jammed his finger on the comm. "Maintenance! Maintenance requested!"

No answer.

_SHANG._

He froze. _What was---_

He turned. The only light was the one streaming in from the stars.

"Beautiful, aren't they?" said a cold and menacing voice.

Jaurren pulled open the drawer of his desk and whirled out his Roxia Mercenary Negotiator, an ion emitter with illegal modifications. "Where are you? And who are you?"

He turned and saw a shadowy figure, a claw-like knife buried in the ground next to his feet. He saw the figure take a swig out of the bottle of Katina Desert Wine that had been on Jaurren's desk.

"Who I am isn't important. What matters is that you're Jaurren Tzen, the criminal boss of the Eastern sector of the Roxia Crime Syndicate. And Andross has you on his list."

_Oh, he works for Emperor Andross. _Jaurren thought in relief. _I can smooth things over easily._

He smiled. "I'm already planning to give him 10% of my spoils, so tell him to---"

"He doesn't want your money, if that's what you think. No, he's swimming in money." The figure laughed darkly. "I guess that's why I'm here." He dropped the bottle with a shattering sound, and pulled out his blaster.

THWOOM! THWOOM! Jaurren fired his ion pistol.

_That'll teach that cocky son of a---_

_Click._

He froze.

"You crime bosses are so alike. You're so good at killing people by giving commands, but you've never been in a fight in your life. Pitiful."

He heard heavy breathing behind him. _How did he…_

"What? You think I'd be stupid enough to attack you from the front?"

A bead of sweat dripped down Jaurran's brow. _Oh shit! He knows…_

"Yeah, I know. That overcoat you're wearing is blaster-proof from the front, but not in the back. Really useful…if you're good at dodging. But at this distance…"

He heard the cock of a blaster. _"I can't miss!"_

_SHWAZHOOM! _There was a flash of green light as Jaurren felt a burn through his back and saw blood pour out of his stomach.

_Slam! _He then felt a kick in the back as he collapsed on the desk, clutching the smoking hole in his chest.

"Why are you doing this?!" He asked in panic.

The voice sneered. "Still haven't figured it out, yet? You're such a hopeless idiot. When you're dead, and when the West Crime Sector find evidence of Venomian ships, the Roxia truce will purge, and once I deliver your stolen Macbethan weapons to Venom, the Lylat Wars will begin. All because of your death. Heh, how special you must feel." He laughed darkly.

Jaurren managed to spit out "Damn you, you bastard! Who are you?!"

_Swap._

The switch of the energy for the control panels switched on, so that an eerie blue light shined dimly on the spot.

The face that stood over Jaurren was a roughishly handsome face of a teenaged wolf, with an ugly scar on his right eye, and a black eye patch on his left. He wore a black under-jacket, black boots and a red scarf. He held a long, wicked-looking claw-like blade in his hand.

"I still won't tell you who I am," said the wolf. "Because they'll find your body mouthing my name. But just so you don't die without a little knowledge who killed you on the other side, you can tell the Devil…."

Jaurren's eyes widened with fear, as he raised the blade.

"…that Star Wolf sends regards."

_SHLLTF!_

Jaurren's head rolled across the floor with his precious cash.

_Phew…_Wolf thought_. I hope Andross comes up with better assignments than this. This assassin's job is losing its touch._

He looked at the liger's carcass.

_Say…that's a nice coat…_

_The End_

Wow. This was SUCH an intense chapter! The StarFox-StarWolf duel alone took me three days! Whew, and what a show that was! And the drama was pretty big, too! I mean, you can't help but feel sorry for the guy, ya know? As some of you guessed, Roxia is referring to Mafia, and Wolf's dual-blade technique is tipped off from the new _Assassin's Creed_ game.

But, you've got to admit, it was an original idea for something like Star Fox! Anyway, this the end of one story, but not the end of the saga! I'll be back with Star Wolf's encounters in the Lylat Wars in 64! But this is your chance to critique on my story, and I'm welcome for comments and criticism, even if it's really harsh.

But most of all I'd really like some of my readers to recommend my story to their friends, especially the ones looking for a WolfXKrystal pairing (what, you think I'm done with that? Not a chance!)

Until next time, young grasshoppers. (Bows.) _Booooooooiiiiiiiinnnnnnggg!_


End file.
